We have strongly suggested treating Bartonella six weeks prior to testing, but here we want to show you can do exception testing still only get negative results.
Currently a handful of infection physicians read over 100 Bartonella articles at “train” other physicians that:
A Child Whose Bartonella Was Missed by Many of the Best Labs
A young boy had a history of a 2016 cat scratch on the same side of the face as MRI and EEG abnormalities. So, he was tested with more Bartonella tests than 999 of 1000 patients. In summary:
- He was tested three times at commercial laboratories for brain infection from Bartonella. His IFA and immunoblot tests were fully negative.
- In July 2021, Armin labs in Germany, detected a “weak” positive to Bartonella henselae on an Elispot test.
- September 2021, he was negative on all available Bartonella IFAs and Blood PCR testing at Galaxy (3 draws in a weak) grown on exceptional BAPGM and examined with qPCR.
- IGeneX blood testing in December 2021, was immunoblot M/G negative for four common species of human Bartonella.
- In January 2022, his parents contacted the corresponding author to enter an ethically approved ongoing study. His blood was drawn three times over approximately three weeks (a triple draw drawn a week apart) that profoundly increases DNA detection.
- The samples were grown on a highly respected invented grown medium–BAPGM. And studied with qPCR and ddPCR, which includes examination of 20,000 microdroplets for DNA detection of Bartonella. All results were negative.
The Profound Conclusion After Peerless Exhaustive Testing
- In June 2022, right brain biopsies were obtained at Sick Kids Hospital, Toronto, Canada. Extensive infectious testing was negative, i.e., bacterial and fungal cultures were negative. Many viral DNA tests were negative.
- Fresh brain biopsy tissue was shipped overnight to the lab associated with the authors and grown on two special cultures for 21 days. Both cultures showed Bartonella a combined total of eight times on two different growth media examined by qPCR which examines 20,000 droplets.
- From January to November 2024, he was treated with IVIG which is large amounts of pooled antibodies from donors. Repeat scans showed no pathology or no change and seizure frequence decreased slightly. ER seizure visits dropped. His PET function scan still showed diffuse hypoperfusion.
- Eventually, in 2024, previous samples from blood and brain were reexamined and two Babesia species were found. The technology to detect both was in the top 0.1% of complexity, and common commercial labs could not offer this service. Nor would insurance companies pay for it.
- Breitschwerdt EB, Maggi RG, Robveille C, Kingston E. Bartonella henselae, Babesia odocoilei and Babesia divergens-like MO-1 infection in the brain of a child with seizures, mycotoxin exposure and suspected Rasmussen’s encephalitis. Journal of Central Nervous System Disease. 2025;17. doi:1177/11795735251322456