MYCOPLASMA REGISTRY for gulf war syndrome & chronic fatigue syndrome
Brochure: "HOW TO GET AN ACCURATE POLYMERASE CHAIN REACTION (PCR) BLOOD TEST
for Mycoplasmal and Other Infections with International List of Laboratories"
© February 2005 Sean & Leslee Dudley

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Systemic Mycoplasma Infections are found in patients with: Gulf War Syndrome, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Myalgic Encephalomyelitis, Fibromyalgia, Lyme Disease, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, Scleroderma, Sjogren's Syndrome, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Multiple Sclerosis, Cystic Fibrosis, Asthma, Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Pneumonia, Bronchitis, Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Sarcoidosis, Wegener's Disease, Kikuchi's Disease, Leukemia, Alzheimer's Disease, Autism, Infertility, Stevens-Johnson Syndrome, and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, Hypercoagulation, Heart Disease, Stroke and Cancer.

• NEW (ICD-10-CM) code for Mycoplasma Infections is: "Mycoplasma A49.3" World Health Organization (WHO) International Classification of Diseases Tenth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM) Chapter A - Infectious and Parasitic Diseases

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• CHRONIC FATIGUE SYNDROME & FIBROMYALGIA

The top three pathogens that Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia patients on the Mycoplasma Registry
test positive for using PCR blood tests:

1. Mycoplasma fermentans (incognitus strain and various other strains)
2. Human Herpes Virus-6a (HHV-6a)
3. Chlamydia pneumoniae ("Chronic Chlamydia pneumoniae infection")

Others pathogens found:

Mycoplasmas:
Mycoplasma pneumoniae
Mycoplasma hominis
Ureaplasma urealyticum
Mycoplasma genitalium
Mycoplasma penetrans
Borrelia burgdorferi ("Chronic Lyme Disease"
may cause or trigger fibromyalgia)
Brucellosis ("Chronic Brucellosis")

Rickettsia Diseases:
Coxiella burnetii (Q-Fever and "Post-Q Fever Fatigue Syndrome") Staphylococcus

Viruses:
Epstein-Bar Virus (reactivation)
Coxsackie B Viruses(1-6)("Chronic Coxsackie Infection" may cause or trigger fibromyalgia, myalgias and other diseases.)
Parvovirus B19("Chronic Parovirus Infection" may cause or trigger fibromyalgia, arthralgia, arthritis)
Enteroviruses (causes: "Chronic inflammatory muscle disease"or fibromyalgia)
Cytomegalovirus
Borna Disease virus
Cytocidal Viruses
Hepatitis C ("Chronic Hepatitis C" may cause or trigger fibromyalgia)

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• PERSIAN GULF WAR VETERANS

The Gulf War Mycoplasma Study showed that nearly all the Gulf War veterans who tested positive for mycoplasma infections were positive for Mycoplasma fermentans. Mycoplasma genitalium was also found and a very small percentage tested positive for Mycoplasma pneumoniae.

We recommend that all Gulf War veterans also get tested for: uranium poisoning from exposure to depleted uranium, antibodies to experimental vaccine adjuvants such as squalene, and if there has been any exposure to organophosphate pesticides or sarin nerve gas get tested for the blood enzyme, paraoxonase.

In addition, Veterans have experience long term side effects from prescription drugs such as:
pyridostigmine bromide, given to troops to protect against nerve gas, and the antimalarial drug Lariam (mefloquine).

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• AIDS ASSOCIATED MYCOPLASMAS and VIRUSES

Mycoplasmas:
Mycoplasma penetrans
Mycoplasma pirum
Mycoplasma fermentans (incognitus strain)
Mycoplasma fermentans (various other strains)
Mycoplasma hominis
Mycoplasma genitalium
Mycoplasma pneumoniae
Ureaplasma urealyticum

Viruses:
Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)
Human Herpes Virus-6a (HHV-6a)
Cytomegalovirus
Herpes Simplex virus
Enterovirus

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• LYME DISEASE

• "CHRONIC LYME DISEASE" or "NEW LYME DISEASE"

• "MONTANA LYME DISEASE"

If bitten by ticks or fleas carrying Borrelia burgdorferi you can develop traditional Lyme Disease, which is self-limiting and carried by a deer tick. Our experience with patients suggests that if the tick or flea also carries co-infections, such as Babesiosis or especially Mycoplasmas, you may develop "Chronic Lyme Disease" also known as "New Lyme Disease" as well as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia and Autoimmune Diseases.

"Montana Lyme Disease" symptoms are similar to Lyme Disease. However, it is caused by a Lyme disease-like agent that has adapted to the Rocky Mountain wood ticks found in Montana and the Western United States.

"Chronic Lyme Disease" is a combination of the pathogen:
Lyme Disease and one or more of the following Co-infections:
Spirochetes (Borrelia bacteria):
Lyme Disease caused by three types of Spirochete Borrelia bacteria:
Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto (USA, UK, Europe)
Borrelia garinii (UK, Europe)
Borrelia afzelii. (UK, Europe)

Relapsing Fever caused by the spirochetes:
Borrelia hermsii
Borrelia turicatae

Mycoplasmas:
Mycoplasma fermentans
Mycoplasma pneumoniae
Chlamydia pneumoniae

Rickettsial Diseases:
Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever
Coxiella burnetti (Q-Fever and "Post-Q Fever Fatigue Syndrome")
Colorado Tick Fever
Eastern tick-borne Rickettsiosis
Rickettsialpox
Tularemia (rabbit fever)
Ehrlichiosis (caused by Ehrlichia, a rickettsia-like bacteria)
Anaplasmas (related to the genera Rickettsia and Ehrlichia)

Babesiosis:
Babesia microti
Babesia WA-1
Hepatitis-C

Bartonellosis:
Bartonella henselae (cat scratch fever)
Bartonella quintana (trench fever)
Viral Meningitis

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• POST-POLIO SYNDROME (PPS) & "Non-Paralytic" Polio

PCR Biopsy - An antibody test is not useful since it can not differentiate between an active infection, reactivated infection or antibodies from polio vaccines. However, a PCR test can be done on biopsied tissue and examined under a microscope to determine if there new polio virus or reactivated polio virus. Other viruses associated with PPS and NPP to test for:

ECHO viruses
Enteroviruses 71
Coxsackie virus A7 ("Polio virus Type IV")
Coxsackie B viruses (1-6)

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• TYPES OF MYCOPLASMA TESTS

1. INDIVIDUAL: The most accurate of the PCR blood tests is the individual test for a specific species.

2. "MULTIPLEX": Multi-species ("3 in 1" or "4 in 1") mycoplasma PCR blood tests are less expensive but their accuracy rate may not be as high as individual species tests. Therefore, patients need to specifically ask the laboratories for the published accuracy rate of their "multiplex" tests. Additionally, some laboratories identify a combination of tests for one price as a "panel" when in fact they are performing a "multiplex" test.

3. ANTIBODY TEST: The least accurate of the blood tests. In the case of Mycoplasma fermentans (incognitus), antibodies are not produced until the patient is near death. However, antibodies to the other mycoplasma species are produced more readily.

4. CULTURE: Mycoplasmas are rarely successfully cultured, as they require specialized culture mediums and weeks of careful laboratory work. In some rare instances, culturing may be an alternative choice.

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• Recommendations - "HOW TO GET AN ACCURATE POLYMERASE CHAIN REACTION (PCR)BLOOD TEST FOR MYCOPLASMAS"

— Do not perform the General (or Family) Mycoplasma species screening test. It is not as accurate as hoped. This test should never be used by physicians as a screening test for mycoplasmal infections in patients.

— Have the blood drawn at the testing lab. If that is impractical, the second best solution is to have the blood delivered to the lab within 24 hours. Blood samples left at room temperature for longer than 24 hours cause half the mycoplasmas to die and disintegrate. After 72 hours at room temperature all the mycoplasmas will have died and disintegrated. Once they disintegrate, the specific genetic sequences needed for PCR amplification will have vanished, resulting in a false negative.

— Have the blood sample drawn later in the day if you are shipping overnight. This shortens the hours before the sample is processed. Also, have the blood drawn early in the week rather than on a Friday so that the sample arrives on a day when the lab is open, rather than sitting unprocessed over the weekend.

— Ship blood samples with small packs of blue ice which keeps the sample at a refrigerated temperature (not frozen). Place some packing material between the blood sample and the blue ice to prevent the blood from freezing, which causes coagulation, ruining the sample for testing.

— Do not take any antibiotics at least one month or longer before a PCR blood test. The antibiotics will remove most of the infection from the blood, reducing the chances of amplifying the specific genetic sequences needed for an accurate result.

— Do not take vitamins, herbs or supplements that boost the immune system and/or kill mycoplasmas. Examples would be colloidal silver, flax seed oil, fish oils, vitamin C, IP6, immune boosters, garlic, transfer factor, olive leaf extract, etc. Unfortunately, no research exists to guide patients on how long they should avoid these products before drawing blood.

— The best time to have blood drawn is when the patient is symptomatic. Mycoplasmas can become dormant from time to time, so if a patient is feeling well it might not be the best time to test.

— If patients receive a negative result, but are still symptomatic, they should consider being retested. Review our recommended testing procedures to see if they were followed correctly. Discuss the merits of retesting with your physician.

— Patients should never begin antibiotic treatment before being tested for a mycoplasmal infection. Some patients start antibiotics before being tested to see if they will show improvement. If they improve, they often refuse to stop using antibiotics before taking a PCR test due to relapses. Unfortunately, once antibiotics are started, the risk increases for getting a false PCR result, even if the patient stops taking antibiotics later. This leaves patients unsure of their exact infection, preventing them from taking the most effective antibiotic. Without a positive test result, physicians often refuse to prescribe long term antibiotics.

— Antibody Tests may be an alternative to PCR for patients already on antibiotics. Although traditional antibody tests are generally not as accurate as PCR, detection may be possible if a patient has developed mycoplasma antibodies.

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• LABORATORIES TESTING FOR MYCOPLASMA, LYME & CO-INFECTIONS

North American: Canada

The Hospital for Sick Children
555 University Avenue
Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5G 1X8
Tel: 416.813.1500

The Molecular Microbiology Laboratory
Director: Dr. Raymond Tellier
Tel: 416.813.6592
Email: raymond.tellier@sickkids.ca 

Resource Technologist: Grant Johnson
Tel: 416.813.6139
Email: grant.johnson@sickkids.ca 

North America: United States of America

The Arthritis Research Center
504 E. Diamond Avenue
Suite I Gaithersburg, Maryland 20877
Tel: 301.216.1231
Fax: 301.216.0302

(Mycoplasma PCR and Antibody tests)

Mycoplasma tests (click on "Test Listing" and then the letter "M": http://www.specialtylabs.com/tests/display.asp?keyword=mycoplasma&assay=1&technotes=0&noses=yes

Mycoplasma tests:
http://www.specialtylabs.com/tests/display.asp?keyword=mycoplasma&assay=1&technotes=0&noses=yes

(staphylococcus and mycoplasma tests)

St. Louis Children's Hospital
One Children's Place
St. Louis, Missouri 63110 USA
Tel: 314.454.6000

Virology Lab
Supervisor, Bill Mulford
Tel: 314.454.6039,
Director, Gregory Storch, MD
Tel: 314.454.6079

Laboratory for the Diagnosis of Tick Borne Diseases
University Hospital L3-700
Stony Brook University Medical Center
Stony Brook, New York 11794-7300

TESTS:

Lyme Disease-Borrelia burgdorferi: ELISA, Western Blot, Immunoblot Babesiosis:IFA(HGE&HME antibodies), Western Blot, Immunoblotting, Blood Smear Ehrlichiosis:IFA(HGE&HME antibodies),Western Blot,Immunoblotting, Blood Smear, PCR Laboratory for the Diagnosis of Tick Borne Diseases Tel: 631.444.2375 Tick Identification Services Tel: 631.444.3744 Technical Service Tel: 631.444.7965 Marc Golightly,Ph.D., SI(ASCP)Director/Head

Nelson Medical Research Institute (Lyme Disease)
11664 Martin Rd.
Warren, MI 48093
Lida Mattman, Ph.D.:
Tel: 810.755.6430
Fax: 810.755.4511

ViraCor
1210 NE Windsor Drive
Lee's Summit, MO 64086
Toll-free: 800.305.5198
Fax: 816.347.0143

Europe

Nutri-Link Ltd.
8A Powderham Road
Newton Abbot, Devon
TQ12 1EU, England
Tel: +44.0.16.26.205417
Fax: +44.0.16.26.205418

[U.K. representative of Immunosciences Lab., Inc.
Sends blood to Beverly Hills, CA USA]

Lithuania

India

Australian Rickettsial Reference Laboratory

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• LABORATORIES THAT OFFER OTHER USEFUL TESTS

Hypercoagulation tests:

Rickettsia test:

Ciguatoxins Test:

Paraoxonase - Genetic trait (PON1 enzymes)

(sarin gas and organophosphate pesticides exposures)

To Find a Quest Patient Service Center near you:

"Patient Service Center Locator" Tel.: 800.377.8448

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