New DNA Test Helps Diagnose Early Lyme Disease Case: Milford Hospital Pathologist Alerts Southern Connecticut Physicians
Lyme disease has struck early, and in Connecticut where it was initially discovered. It was also diagnosed by a new DNA test performed at Milford Hospital, The groundbreaking test used to positively ID the Lyme bacteria was developed by the scientist/physician/pathologist and his team.
Mildford, CT (PRWEB) April 27, 2010
As predicted by public health officials, Lyme disease has struck early, and in Connecticut where it was initially discovered. “In what may be the first case of newly acquired Lyme disease, it was apparently contracted in early March in Wallingford, CT, and not diagnosed until a month later by a new DNA test performed at Milford Hospital,” pathologist, Sin Hang Lee, MD wrote in a note distributed to southern Connecticut physicians.
The groundbreaking test used to positively ID the Lyme bacteria was developed by the scientist/physician/pathologist and his team. It is used to quickly determine if a patient tests positive for Lyme spirochetes in their blood. This is the first such early Lyme test available, and most insurance companies have already agreed to cover the cost, he said.
Dr. Lee said lab-confirmed Lyme disease is usually diagnosed by antibody tests after May, which customarily marks the month for Lyme disease alert in Connecticut. “Since there was no skin rash in this 31-year old male patient, and his initial symptoms started in mid March without the history of a tick bite, the clinical presentations of Lyme disease were not immediately recognized by health care practitioners until mid April when a physician suspected infection by the Lyme bacteria, and ordered the appropriate laboratory tests.
The normally-ordered antibody screen test for Lyme disease was negative. The only positive result for this patient was that of a blood Lyme disease DNA test newly developed at Milford Hospital based on the research protocol initially used at the National Institutes of Health,” he said.
Dr. Lee emphasized a timely diagnosis of early Lyme disease with bacterial invasion for swift effective treatments requires public education for residents and their physicians living in areas where the disease is endemic. He said the most reliable laboratory test to detect and confirm early Lyme disease with spirochetemia is by DNA sequencing. Information on the Lyme disease DNA test can be found via the “Lyme Test” button at http://www. MilfordHospital. org (http://www. MilfordHospital. org), or http://www. earlylymetest. com (http://www. earlylymetest. com).
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