Antigens, Antibodies, Infection - CONFUSED

[Guest guest]

ly I'm very confused about all of this. I'm trying to find out

if I have an infection but it seems everyone is testing for

allergies or so it seems. A doctor uses ANTIGENS to test for

allergy, right? They put those in your skin for skin tests.

Antibodies play what role? If you have antibodies to a fungus in

your blood, are you allergic to that fungus or do you have an

infection of that fungus? I am going to assume it is an infection

right now. If you have antibodies, and that means you have an

infection, is it in your blood, or do antibodies just mean you have

an infection SOMEWHERE? I'm going to guess it means you have an

infection but not where it is located, that you would not know if it

is lung, sinuses or other organ. Am I close to getting this right?

If you have an infection in your blood, I've heard you can have a

blood culture done and culture would grow fungus if it is present

and then lab technician can try to see what antifungal would be

effective in killing it. Has anyone had this done or know what I am

referring to?

Then there is this confusion, traditonal, dumbass doctors say you

can't have a systemic fungal infection unless you have something

like AIDS or you are undergoing Chemotherapy treatment, so unless

you fit into one of those two categories, they just will not test

you. On a website that was quoting Dr Marinkovich as one of the

world authorities on mold, said this is just not true. I have

talked with Dr M's office about going out there. He is

allergist/immunologist. I asked his assistant if test came back

that I had fungal infection, did Dr M do fungal cultures. She said

oh, you wouldn't have a systemic infection unless you had AIDS or

something! So there you go.

I can't figure out if his very broad spectrum antibody tests are

testing for allergies or infection. I asked does he treat with

antifungals and she said yes. So there again, confusion. If he is

just looking into allergies, why the antifungals. Let me guess, he

is testing to see if there is infection in sinuses that is causing

allergies and then treating it 'systemically', even though that

would not be considered a 'systemic infection'. It would be an

infection which is localized in sinuses or lungs but doctor is using

systemic medicine to get at it. That does not mean he is treating

a 'systemic infection', correct???? He is treating a LOCAL

infection with systemic medicine I am assuming.

Granted she is an assistant and not the doctor but there seems to be

a lot of confusion in this area, or I'm just confused. They act as

if AIDS and Chemo are the only things that make you susceptible. I

have had Epstein Barr virus, systemic Candida infection and early

stage cancer within the last couple of years. I would think that

would mean I have a compromised immune system but...I don't have

AIDS or undergoing Chemotherapy. Anyway, how does his assistant

know she is not talking to someone who has AIDS. Don't they get

allergies also. It's as if everyone is saying 'YOU' can't have it,

like me in particular. It's as if everyone is saying it is SO RARE,

that they doubt they would ever get a phone call from someone who

could have it. Then I read elsewhere where in other opinions, it

isn't as rare as they say.

It's like I'm in some kind of maddening nightmare. Fearful of this,

feel it is possible, but can't get tested, now looking into this

since Aug of 2004. I've offered to pay for the test, just to get

the subject off of my mind, so I can get it off my mind. If I got

tested and was negative, I could move on, or if I felt well, but the

worry just goes on and on. I feel like by next year I should be

able to earn a PHD is this subject but no test yet.

I mentioned this to my internist who referred me to a pulmonologist

but I have no breathing problems or lung effects. Since breathing

it in is most likely, how would I get an infection without my lungs

being involved? I had a terrible rash at time my home had mold

problem that I used to scratch so much it bled, so I think that

could have gotten it through my skin.

Anyway, enough about me. I'm just wondering can anyone shed any

light on any of the above things I'm confused on? If I ran out to

CA to see Dr Marinkovich and took that big broad spectrum antibody

test, would I find out if I have an infection SOMEWHERE, or would I

just find out if I am allergic to something?