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September 08, 2025

Coinfections 2 Panel: Detecting Viral and Bacterial Tickborne Infections

The Coinfections 2 Panel uses IgG, IgM, and PCR to detect viral and bacterial co-infections—including Powassan virus, Tickborne Encephalitis Virus, West Nile, Mycoplasma, and Rickettsia—providing answers for chronic tickborne illness.

Coinfections 2 Panel: Advanced Testing for Viral and Bacterial Tickborne Co-Infections

Introduction

Tickborne diseases are more complex than most people realize. While Lyme disease caused by Borrelia burgdorferi is the most recognized infection, a single tick bite can transmit multiple pathogens at once. These co-infections often explain why some patients don’t improve with standard Lyme treatment alone—or why their illness becomes chronic.

The Coinfections 2 Panel was developed to identify viral and bacterial pathogens that frequently complicate tickborne illness. By testing both antibodies (IgG and IgM) and PCR-based DNA detection, this panel detects infections that are otherwise missed in conventional testing.

Unlike the Coinfections 1 Panel, which focuses on parasites and bacteria like Babesia, Bartonella, Anaplasma, and Ehrlichia, the Coinfections 2 Panel expands coverage to include viruses such as Powassan virus, Tickborne Encephalitis Virus (TBEV), and West Nile Virus—along with respiratory pathogens like Chlamydophila pneumoniae and Mycoplasma pneumoniae, and rickettsial species.

Why Co-Infections Are Critical to Identify

Symptom overlap

The pathogens covered in the Coinfections 2 Panel cause flu-like, neurological, and systemic symptoms that can be mistaken for Lyme disease, autoimmune conditions, or even psychiatric illness.

Disease severity

Viruses such as Powassan and TBEV can cause severe neurological disease with long-term consequences. Even when antibody levels are low, PCR detection can confirm active infection that requires urgent care.

Treatment differences

Each pathogen requires a different therapeutic approach:

  • Viral infections may need antiviral or immune-modulating therapy.

  • Bacterial infections may respond to antibiotics or targeted botanicals.

  • Chronic infections often require functional medicine strategies to restore immune resilience and repair gut and mitochondrial health.

Identifying these hidden infections is often the missing piece in helping patients recover.

What the Coinfections 2 Panel Measures

The Coinfections 2 Panel includes both antibody and PCR testing.

IgG & IgM Antibody Markers

The panel measures immune responses against:

  • Coxsackie virus

  • Powassan virus

  • Tickborne Encephalitis Virus (TBEV)

  • West Nile Virus

  • Chlamydophila pneumoniae

  • Mycoplasma pneumoniae

  • Rickettsia typhi OmpB

  • Rickettsia typhi surface antigen

PCR Markers

The panel also detects pathogen DNA for:

  • Coxsackie virus

  • Powassan virus

  • Tickborne Encephalitis Virus (TBEV)

  • West Nile Virus

  • Chlamydophila pneumoniae

  • Mycoplasma pneumoniae

  • Rickettsia rickettsii (Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever agent)

  • Rickettsia typhi (murine typhus agent)

This dual testing strategy increases sensitivity by capturing both immune memory and direct pathogen presence.

Pathogens in Detail

Coxsackie Virus

  • Belongs to the enterovirus family.

  • Can cause hand-foot-and-mouth disease, myocarditis, meningitis, or chronic fatigue.

  • Persistent infection is associated with autoimmunity and long-term neurological dysfunction.

Powassan Virus

  • A rare but highly dangerous tickborne virus in North America.

  • Causes encephalitis and meningitis with high mortality rates.

  • Survivors often face chronic neurological impairment.

Tickborne Encephalitis Virus (TBEV)

  • Endemic in parts of Europe and Asia.

  • Can cause severe brain and spinal cord inflammation.

  • Important for travelers or patients with exposure outside the U.S.

West Nile Virus

  • Mosquito-borne virus with global distribution.

  • Causes fever, headaches, rash, joint pain, or neuroinvasive disease.

  • Chronic infection may trigger fatigue and cognitive symptoms.

Chlamydophila pneumoniae

  • Intracellular bacterium causing respiratory infections.

  • Chronic infection linked to autoimmunity, MS, and atherosclerosis.

  • Difficult to eradicate due to immune evasion strategies.

Mycoplasma pneumoniae

  • Common cause of “walking pneumonia.”

  • Chronic infection can contribute to neurological disease, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, and autoimmunity.

  • Involved in molecular mimicry leading to autoantibody formation.

Rickettsia typhi

  • Cause of murine typhus.

  • Symptoms include fever, rash, and organ involvement.

  • Can be severe if untreated.

Rickettsia rickettsii

  • Agent of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, one of the most severe tickborne infections in the U.S.

  • Causes fever, rash, and vascular inflammation with risk of organ failure.

Who Should Consider the Coinfections 2 Panel?

This panel is especially useful for patients with:

  • Unexplained chronic neurological symptoms (brain fog, seizures, memory loss)

  • Relapsing fevers, chills, or flu-like illness after tick exposure

  • Cardiac symptoms (arrhythmias, chest pain, myocarditis)

  • Persistent fatigue or autoimmune flares

  • History of travel or residence in endemic regions for Powassan, TBEV, or West Nile

  • Respiratory symptoms that don’t resolve (linked to Chlamydophila or Mycoplasma)

How to Interpret Results

  • IgM positive → Suggests recent or ongoing infection.

  • IgG positive → Indicates past exposure or possible chronic reactivation.

  • PCR positive → Strong evidence of active infection (DNA detected).

  • Negative results → Helps rule out these pathogens and focus on other causes.

Integrative & Functional Medicine Applications

Identifying these infections guides both conventional and functional therapies:

Immune Support

  • Vitamin D, zinc, selenium, glutathione, medicinal mushrooms

  • Peptides: Thymosin Alpha-1 and LL-37 for immune modulation

Antimicrobial Approaches

  • Antivirals: may be needed for Powassan, TBEV, Coxsackie, or West Nile

  • Antibiotics: macrolides or tetracyclines for Mycoplasma and Chlamydophila

  • Botanicals: artemisinin, cryptolepis, berberine, resveratrol, Japanese knotweed

Gut and Barrier Repair

  • Probiotics, immunoglobulins (e.g., Immuno-30), omega-3s, curcumin, glutamine

Neuroprotection

  • CoQ10, NAD+, acetyl-L-carnitine, magnesium, B vitamins

  • Mind-body practices and stress reduction to lower inflammatory triggers

Why the Coinfections 2 Panel Stands Out

  • Covers key viral co-infections often missed in standard Lyme testing

  • Includes both respiratory pathogens and tickborne viruses

  • Combines IgG/IgM antibody and PCR DNA testing for higher sensitivity

  • Expands insight into chronic illness drivers that overlap with autoimmunity, neurodegeneration, and systemic inflammation

Conclusion

Tickborne illness is rarely just Lyme disease. Viral and bacterial co-infections often complicate the picture and require unique therapeutic strategies. The Coinfections 2 Panel provides comprehensive testing for pathogens like Coxsackie, Powassan virus, Tickborne Encephalitis Virus, West Nile Virus, Chlamydophila pneumoniae, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Rickettsia typhi, and Rickettsia rickettsii.

For patients struggling with unexplained fatigue, neurological decline, autoimmune activation, or chronic respiratory issues, this test provides the clarity needed to build a personalized, integrative treatment plan.