Functional and overseas testing
Testing for Lyme, Co-infections and Mould Illness
Lyme disease testing in Australia often needs more than a single blood test, because stealth infections and mould illness can hide across several body systems. As a Lyme-literate naturopath, Amina Eastham-Hillier works alongside your doctor to identify which tests may be useful for you, from overseas Lyme and co-infection panels through to functional pathology, mould and mycotoxin testing, and gene or nutrigenomic profiles. The aim is simple: gather the missing pieces of the picture so your wider medical and naturopathic support can be tailored to what is actually showing up in your results, never to diagnose disease on its own.
- Testing is chosen with you at consultation, then run through the most appropriate Australian or overseas laboratory for your situation.
- Overseas Lyme and co-infection panels (such as PCR, Western Blot and Elispot LTT) complement, and do not replace, the testing your doctor arranges.
- Mould and mycotoxin testing looks at both the toxins in a urine sample and the inflammatory markers that show how your body has been responding.
- Functional pathology and gene testing (including MTHFR and related mutations often seen in chronic cases) help personalise the naturopathic support that sits beside your medical care.
How Amina decides which tests are worth running
No two cases look the same, so testing is never a fixed checklist.
At your consultation Amina reviews your history, symptoms and any results you already have, then discusses which tests may add genuine value, which laboratory is most appropriate, and what each option involves. Some people need very little; others benefit from a staged approach over time.
The purpose is to fill the missing pieces of the jigsaw puzzle so the support plan you follow, in partnership with your doctor, reflects your individual picture rather than a generic protocol.
Lyme disease testing in Australia and overseas labs
Testing for Lyme disease and stealth co-infections can be limited through standard Australian pathology, so many of the panels Amina works with are processed through specialist overseas laboratories such as IGeneX, alongside Australian options where suitable.
These results are used to inform naturopathic support and are interpreted alongside the testing and clinical assessment your medical practitioner provides, never as a stand-alone diagnosis.
- PCR Borrelia (serum, urine, blood) and Elispot LTT
- Borrelia Western Blot (IgG, IgM)
- Babesia, Bartonella, Rickettsia, Ehrlichia
- Mycoplasma fermentans and species, Chlamydia pneumonia
- CD57 (natural killer cell) marker
- Multi-peptide IgG Elisa assay covering Lyme antibodies, B. burgdorferi, B. garinii, B. afzelii, Babesia, Ehrlichia and Bartonella
Mould illness and mycotoxin testing
Mould illness is one of the most commonly missed pieces in chronic, stealth presentations, and Amina sees it often in the people she supports.
Mould and mycotoxin testing looks at 2 things together. A urine sample can measure mycotoxins in the body, including the Ochratoxin A, Aflatoxin and Trichothecene groups. Functional medicine markers can then show the inflammatory effect mould or biotoxins may be having, helping build a clearer picture of what your body is dealing with.
- Urine mycotoxin testing (Ochratoxin A, Aflatoxin group, Trichothecene group)
- Inflammatory and biotoxin markers (C3a, C4a, TGF beta-1, MMP-9, VEGF, Leptin, MSH, VIP, ADH/Osmolality)
- Anti-gliadin antibodies and HLA-DR genetic studies
Functional pathology and general health markers
Chronic infection rarely sits in isolation, so Amina also draws on broad functional pathology to understand gut health, nutrition, hormones and detoxification capacity.
These results help explain symptoms such as fatigue, digestive trouble or low mood, and guide the naturopathic support that runs alongside your medical care.
- General blood tests (FBC, liver, kidney and gall bladder function, electrolytes, iron studies) and inflammatory markers (CRP, ESR, ferritin)
- Comprehensive faecal microbial analysis, parasite testing (Blastocystis hominis, Dientamoeba fragilis, Giardia lamblia, Cryptosporidium and more) and Helicobacter pylori
- Saliva and urinary hormone profiles, thyroid hormones and iodine loading
- Nutritional blood profiles, urine amino acids and metabolic organic acids testing
- Hair mineral analysis and heavy metal toxicity (mercury, lead, cadmium, arsenic, aluminium)
- Liver detoxification profile, environmental pollutants, coeliac antibody profile, plus food sensitivity and allergy profiles across more than 100 foods, herbs and spices
Gene and nutrigenomic testing
Some people carry genetic variations that affect how they process toxins, methylate nutrients and recover, which is why gene testing can be so useful in complex cases.
Amina holds a Diploma of Nutrigenomics and can arrange detailed gene testing, including the MTHFR, MTR, CBS, COMT and SUOX mutations commonly associated with chronic Lyme and stealth presentations.
A comprehensive DNA gene profile maps your personal health markers and susceptibilities, so the support chosen for you can account for how your body is built to work.
- MTHFR, MTR, CBS, COMT and SUOX gene mutation testing
- Pyrroluria and porphyrins
- Comprehensive DNA gene profile and nutrigenomic report
Frequently asked questions
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Take a gentle first step
Start with the free 10 Top Tips for Lyme Recovery, or book an online consultation for personalised naturopathic support alongside your medical care.