Dried blood spot (At-home) or Blood test (phlebotomy)

This is a simple at-home dried blood spot test. A finger prick of blood is transferred to a special card for analysis on return to the lab. Phlebotomy can be also carried out at our Dublin clinic or locations around the country. Please enquire with our team. Phlebotomy carries an additional charge.

This test measures:

• EBV – markers to differentiate prior infection from acute/ recent infection or re-activation (5 antigens covered including EBNA, EA Early Antigen and VCA)
• Cytomegalovirus (7 antigens)
• Human herpesvirus HHV-6 and HHV-7
• Herpes Simplex Virus HSV-1 and HSV-2
• Strep A (bacteria)

Brenda was 28 and had ME/CFS for ten years. She experienced significant fatigue, PEM and persistent sore throats, aching limbs and swollen lymph nodes. She did not fully know what had triggered her ME/CFS though she thought perhaps that she had a bad throat infection prior to her slowly deteriorating.

Though treatment for viruses is not without risk, and may not even have helped her symptoms, Brenda was keen to understand as much as she could about her illness. She tested positive for a prior EBV infection, though no active or reactivation of the virus was present at the time of the test. Her supplement protocol however was adjusted to avoid those that can re-activate EBV.

Key findings (excerpt from test):

• Evidence of prior EBV infection, though no recent/ acute infection or re-activation
• No evidence of recent or prior infection with cytomegalovirus, HHV-6, HHV-7, HSV-1, HSV-2 or Strep A