Guest guest Posted June 25, 2001 Report Share Posted June 25, 2001 Hi, a, >Could you please explain how heparin could mess up PCR tests? I just had >bone marrow biopsy and came up positive by PCR for Lyme and HHV6B. I am on >Lovenox.... how could this affect the test? Also, I thought Lyme and babesia >were two seperate things, no? Yes, Babesia and is a different (but related) kind of parasite from Borrellia that causes Lyme. I have heard of a couple of people who were infected with Babesia and subsequently dxed with CFS - the symptoms are variable enough and overlap a lot with those of CFS. Like with Lyme, Babessia can be cured by repeated, high-dose, appropriate antibiotics. Heparin can interfere with PCR, because it is a polycation - carries a bunch of positive charges at blood pH. Because of those charges, it binds very tightly to DNA and RNA, which both carry lots of negative charges, and which is what is being assayed by the PCR test. If the heparin injection has been recent, it could cause a negative result even if the pathogen is present. Jerry _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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