Testing for a coxsakie and enterovirus

[Hip]

As the first port of call on the roadmap it is a bit of a roadblock, since the options for this test for Europeans are almost non-existent - unless everyone is just using the exorbitantly priced america tests (is that what everyone is doing?)

It is very difficult to get enterovirus testing done. There was an excellent lab in the Netherlands which did a coxsackievirus B neutralisation test for just over €100, and accepted blood samples from abroad, but they discontinued their neutralisation test some years back, replacing with a complement fixation test, which is insensitive for chronic infections.

Neutralisation tests involve a lot of work for the lab, which is why most labs prefer to offer CFT or ELISA, which are easier to perform.


I believe for those in the US, if you get your ARUP tests through Any Lab Test Now, it's cheaper, something like $200, if I remember correctly (@sometexan84 will know). But I don't think there is any way to go via ALTN from the UK.

Other options to explore are Fleury Lab in Sau Paulo, Brazil, who offer a coxsackievirus B antibody neutralisation test for around $100. It would be straightforward to get a 3 day international courier to send blood serum samples to Brazil. But you would have to contact them and see if they accept samples from abroad.

And the Torlak Institute of Virology, Vaccines and Sera in Serbia have a neutralisation test for coxsackievirus B1 to B5 costing €200. Again you would have to contact them to check if they accept samples from abroad.


I once contacted the lab director of RedLabs in Belgium, who specialise in ME/CFS tests, to see if they were interested in offering an enterovirus neutralisation test, explaining that this is important for ME/CFS patients. But they showed little interest. If enough patients contacted them, perhaps they could be persuaded to offer an enterovirus test.

 

[Guwop2]

I believe for those in the US, if you get your ARUP tests through Any Lab Test Now, it's cheaper, something like $200, if I remember correctly (@sometexan84 will know). But I don't think there is any way to go via ALTN from the UK.

Other options to explore are Fleury Lab in Sau Paulo, Brazil, who offer a coxsackievirus B antibody neutralisation test for around $100. It would be straightforward to get a 3 day international courier to send blood serum samples to Brazil. But you would have to contact them and see if they accept samples from abroad.

And the Torlak Institute of Virology, Vaccines and Sera in Serbia have a neutralisation test for coxsackievirus B1 to B5 costing €200. Again you would have to contact them to check if they accept samples from abroad.

I will look into those options, though a trip to athens isnt out of the question.
I presume you had these tests done, though perhaps some time ago, may I ask where you went for them?

 

[Hip]

I presume you had these tests done, though perhaps some time ago, may I ask where you went for them?

I got my coxsackievirus B test done at a great lab in the Netherlands (UMC Utrecht) which offered a CVB neutralisation test for just over €100. Shipped my blood serum to them from the UK. But they unfortunately stopped doing that neutralisation test, replacing it with a CVB complement fixation test, which is easier for the lab to do, but is not sensitive for chronic infections.

 

[Cipher]

I live in the UK and have been looking into getting the Coxackievirus B & Echovirus tests done as per the treatment roadmap and have discovered that IMD Berlin doesnt do the neutralisation tests anymore and the Institute of Medical Virology doesnt offer this service to people not referred to them by a doctor

While they've told that patient that they need a doctor's order, in practice they don't check if the sender is a doctor, nor is it a written requirement on the request form. I've sent a serum sample to them for testing, and I know two others who have also had success. As long as the request form is correctly filled out there hopefully shouldn't be any issues. If you write your e-mail address on the request form they can send the test results via e-mail. The invoice came via post if I recall correctly.

You'll need to find a local lab that's willing to draw the blood and separate the serum for you. There are special shipping rules when it comes to blood samples which you can read more about here. I've sent packages labeled as "Exempt human specimen" successfully using FedEx. You can get a 40% discount on all shipments if you register a FedEx account.

Including a HS code in the customs declaration is preferable when sending packages internationally. You can find the destination country's specific HS codes using this tool.

 

[Cipher]

@Hip The request form that's linked on the roadmap is outdated, the new one can be found here.