COMPENDIUM ON FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE - Flipbook - Page 543
Comparison to Other Pathogen Testing Methods
When considering pathogen testing options, practitioners should
understand how Array 12 compares to other available methods
[22]:
Test Type
Detects
Advantages
Limitations
Comprehensive
Cannot differentiate
Immune
screening, detects
between current
past and present
reactivity
and past infections,
Cyrex
(antibodies) exposures, identifies
measures immune
Array 12
potential
to 32
response rather than
autoimmune
pathogens
pathogens
triggers
May miss pathogens
Highly sensitive for in low numbers or
active infections, those sequestered in
tissues, no
identifies specific
information on
strains
immune response
PCR
Testing
Active
pathogen
DNA/RNA
Culture
Testing
Many pathogens
Gold standard for difficult to culture,
Live
identifying active time-consuming, no
pathogens
bacterial infections
information on
immune response
Tests only one
Established clinical
ELISA
Antibodies
pathogen at a time,
reference ranges,
Antibody to single
may not use
often covered by
Tests
pathogens
functional reference
insurance
ranges
Specialty
Can detect
Expensive, less
T-cell
Tests
cell-mediated
widely available,
responses to
(e.g.,
immunity, useful for requires specialized
pathogens
EliSpot)
stealth infections
handling
543
