Homearrow Blogsarrow Coinfections 1 Panel: Advanced Testing for Tickborne Disease Co-Infections
September 08, 2025

Coinfections 1 Panel: Advanced Testing for Tickborne Disease Co-Infections

The Coinfections 1 Panel uses antibody and PCR testing to detect Babesia, Bartonella, Anaplasma, and Ehrlichia—common Lyme co-infections often missed by standard tests.

The Coinfections 1 Panel: Advanced Testing for Tickborne Disease Co-Infections

Introduction

Tickborne diseases are on the rise, with cases of Lyme disease and other vector-borne infections climbing steadily each year. While Lyme disease gets the most attention, co-infections—other pathogens transmitted by the same tick bite—are often the reason patients remain sick despite treatment.

Common co-infections like Babesia, Bartonella, Anaplasma, and Ehrlichia can intensify symptoms, prolong recovery, and complicate diagnosis. Unfortunately, standard Lyme disease testing typically ignores these pathogens, leaving patients without answers.

The Coinfections 1 Panel was created to close this gap. It uses both IgG/IgM antibody testing and PCR (polymerase chain reaction) to detect a wide range of co-infections with greater sensitivity and specificity than conventional methods.

In this article, we’ll explore:

  • What the Coinfections 1 Panel measures

  • Why co-infections are critical to identify in tickborne illness

  • A complete list of IgG, IgM, and PCR markers included in the panel

  • Which patients benefit from testing

  • How results guide functional and integrative treatment strategies

Why Co-Infections Matter in Tickborne Illness

Ticks rarely carry just one pathogen. In fact, studies show that up to 60% of Lyme disease patients also carry at least one co-infection. These additional microbes can:

  • Worsen fatigue, pain, or neurological symptoms

  • Interfere with immune recovery

  • Require different treatments than Lyme disease alone

  • Increase the risk of chronic illness or relapse

For example:

  • Babesia (a malaria-like parasite) often causes sweats, chills, and air hunger that antibiotics can’t treat.

  • Bartonella (cat-scratch bacteria) may cause neurological and psychiatric symptoms like irritability, insomnia, and anxiety.

  • Anaplasma and Ehrlichia can trigger severe acute illness, low white blood cell counts, and liver enzyme abnormalities.

Missing these infections means missing the root cause of ongoing symptoms.

What the Coinfections 1 Panel Measures

The Coinfections 1 Panel is part of Vibrant’s advanced tickborne testing menu. It evaluates immune responses and direct DNA detection for some of the most common and clinically relevant co-infections.

IgG & IgM Antibody Markers

The panel tests for antibodies to:

  • Babesia microti (IRA, p32, p41, WCS)

  • Babesia duncani

  • Bartonella henselae (17 kDa, 26 kDa, SucB)

  • Bartonella elizabethae

  • Bartonella vinsonii

  • Bartonella quintana

  • Anaplasma phagocytophilum (Msp5, Msp2 [p44], OmpA)

  • Ehrlichia chaffeensis

These antibody markers help distinguish between:

  • IgM positivity → more recent or active infection.

  • IgG positivity → past exposure or chronic/latent infection.

PCR Markers

The panel also detects microbial DNA using PCR, which can confirm active infection even when antibody levels are low:

  • Babesia microti

  • Babesia duncani

  • Bartonella henselae

  • Bartonella elizabethae

  • Bartonella vinsonii

  • Bartonella quintana

  • Anaplasma phagocytophilum (HGA)

  • Ehrlichia chaffeensis (HME)

This dual testing approach (antibodies + PCR) provides greater diagnostic confidence than relying on either method alone.

How the Test Works

  • Sample type: Blood

  • Technology: Vibrant’s proprietary microarray platform for antibody detection, plus PCR for DNA amplification

  • Turnaround time: Results are typically available within 2–3 weeks

  • Reporting: Antibodies are stratified into normal, moderate, or high reactivity; PCR results are reported as detected/not detected

This combined method improves sensitivity for early, late, and relapsing infections.

Who Should Consider the Coinfections 1 Panel?

Patients most likely to benefit from this panel include those who:

  • Have known or suspected tick exposure

  • Were diagnosed with Lyme disease but remain symptomatic despite treatment

  • Experience persistent fatigue, brain fog, pain, or neurological symptoms

  • Show signs of Babesia infection (night sweats, air hunger, hemolytic anemia)

  • Show signs of Bartonella infection (neuropathy, neuropsychiatric symptoms, rashes/striae)

  • Have unexplained cytopenias, abnormal liver enzymes, or immune dysregulation

  • Experience relapsing fevers, chills, or migrating pain

By identifying co-infections, clinicians can tailor treatment more precisely, reducing recovery times and preventing relapse.

Interpreting Results

Positive IgM or PCR

  • Suggests active infection

  • May warrant antimicrobial or antiparasitic therapy

  • Functional care may include immune support, anti-inflammatory nutrients, and gut repair

Positive IgG Only

  • Suggests past exposure or chronic/latent infection

  • May still be clinically relevant if symptoms align

  • Guides supportive care to reduce immune burden and prevent reactivation

Negative Across Markers

  • Suggests co-infections are less likely

  • Helps narrow the diagnostic focus to other causes

Functional & Integrative Medicine Applications

Identifying co-infections allows providers to design personalized, multimodal care plans.

Antimicrobial Strategies

  • Conventional therapy: Antiparasitics for Babesia (atovaquone, azithromycin), antibiotics for Bartonella, Anaplasma, Ehrlichia

  • Botanical options: Artemisinin, cryptolepis, Japanese knotweed, sida acuta, houttuynia, and berberine-containing herbs

Immune Modulation

  • Peptides: Thymosin Alpha-1, LL-37, and BPC-157 for immune balance and tissue repair

  • Nutrients: Vitamin D, zinc, selenium, quercetin, omega-3s

Gut Health Support

  • Probiotics, prebiotics, and gut-healing nutrients (glutamine, zinc carnosine)

  • Addressing leaky gut triggered by chronic infection

Mitochondrial and Nervous System Support

  • CoQ10, NAD+, carnitine, magnesium

  • Stress reduction and restorative sleep strategies

By combining antimicrobial therapies with immune and metabolic support, patients are more likely to achieve lasting remission.

Why the Coinfections 1 Panel Stands Out

  • Covers the most common tickborne co-infections (Babesia, Bartonella, Anaplasma, Ehrlichia)

  • Dual detection using both antibody testing and PCR

  • Higher sensitivity than conventional two-tier Lyme testing alone

  • Actionable insights that directly influence treatment decisions

  • Integrates seamlessly with broader tickborne panels (Lyme Plus, TBRF, Coinfections 2, Opportunistic Infections)

Conclusion

Tickborne co-infections are often the missing piece in patients who struggle with chronic Lyme disease symptoms. The Coinfections 1 Panel provides a comprehensive, accurate way to detect these stealth pathogens using both antibody and PCR testing.

By uncovering infections like Babesia, Bartonella, Anaplasma, and Ehrlichia, clinicians can move beyond guesswork and create personalized, integrative treatment plans that restore health and resilience.

For patients with unresolved fatigue, neurological issues, or relapsing fevers, this test can be the key to finally understanding—and treating—the root cause.

Â