What is T-Detect COVID Testing?

T-Detect COVID is the first T cell test for COVID-19 available in the U.S

What are T cells?

T cells are key players in the adaptive immune system. When the body is invaded by a foreign substance like a virus or bacteria, the immune system rallies one of its earliest lines of defense, helper T cells, to join the fight.

Helper T cells may call on their allies to kickstart antibody production to support the fight against the disease. Helper T cells also alert other types of T cells to the presence of foreign invaders to be targeted and destroyed.

After the body has fought off an infection or disease, a small number of T cells remain in the blood. They are called memory T cells and their job is to remember how to ward off these invaders if they ever return.

What is T-Detect COVID?

T-Detect COVID is the first T cell test for COVID-19 available in the U.S. (not available in U.S. Territories) to those over age 18. It measures T cells instead of antibodies to detect recent or past SARS-CoV-2 infection (the virus that causes COVID-19).

How does T-Detect COVID work?

T cells are the first responders of the adaptive immune system and activate the antibody response. While antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) naturally wane and are detectable in the shorter term, T cell responders can persist in the blood long after antibody responses wane.

T-Detect COVID can detect T cells in a blood and recognize the SARS-CoV-2 virus for up to 10 months after symptoms appear (90% sensitivity).

What does T-Detect COVID measure?

T-Detect COVID can detect an immune response to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19 disease, to assess recent or past infection. It is not intended for the diagnosis of active/current SARS-CoV-2 infection.

The T-Detect® Assay – Blood test

The T-Detect COVID Assay is intended for use as an aid in identifying individuals with an immune response to SARS-CoV-2, indicating recent or prior infection. The T-Detect COVID Assay uses next-generation sequencing (NGS) to assess the rearranged T-cell receptor beta (TCRβ) gene sequences to present in genomic DNA isolated from human peripheral blood. This test is not intended for diagnosis of active SARS-CoV-2 infection.

T-Detect is available by prescription only. T-Detect results should always be used in combination with clinical examination, patient medical history, and other findings.

Call our office (281-298-6742) for more information and/or to schedule blood draw. The test costs $259

Reference: https://www.t-detect.com/

By Admin|2022-11-01T11:13:52-05:00September 9th, 2021|General|

RAPID COVID-19 ANTIBODY TEST

Test for COVID-19 antibodies (IgM and IgG)
Best for testing whether you’ve already had the illness, or if symptom-free and had a possible exposure
Reports suggest that 20 to 50% of people infected may be asymptomatic, and many more with very mild symptoms attributed to a simple cold or allergies
Requires a finger stick — at least two weeks from onset of symptoms
Results in approximately 15 minutes
$99

Call (281) 298-6742 or email admin@TWIHW.com

By Admin|2020-08-07T12:19:51-05:00August 8th, 2020|General|

Going Forward

Nancy Mehlert, MS

Ready to leave the COVID 19 Pandemic behind you? It seems like a lot of people are ready for the quarantined life to be over.

I’ve been thinking about what happens to our nutrition at times like these, and I think it has been different, for different people. I know many who have stayed the course, gotten more exercise and smoothly sailed through, in terms of nutrition at least. And others, who have found the stresses dragging them back to old habits, comfort food, and drinks. We are all different. We struggle in different ways.

It is common for major life changes to get in the way of our best laid nutritional plans.

May I encourage you to be kind to yourself? There is no use in beating yourself up or drowning in guilt. These times have been, and continue to be, difficult. It is hard to find anyone who thinks this is an easy time. The complexities of caring for the elderly, schooling children, staying employed, and all working under the same roof 24-7 – none of this is easy stuff, individually or collectively.

But as we see some possible light at the end of this tunnel, now is a good time to take stock and organize your thoughts in a positive, GO FORWARD mind set. It is a good time to figure out how to GO FORWARD in confidence and make some corrections to course where needed. Here are some productive and healthy things to do in the next couple of weeks as we hopefully emerge from this quarantine:

If you feel like your nutritional wheels totally fell off the wagon, have you discovered something valuable from the experience? We learn from our mistakes. What’s yours? What would you do differently next time as a key learning point? Then, forgive yourself, and GO FORWARD.

What have you done well? Look hard. Find at least one thing. There is something good to be discovered. Give yourself credit for that one thing. GO FORWARD with that good thing.

Talk to friends, family, neighbors, and co-workers. Ask them how they have coped nutritionally during this strange time and learn from their successes and mistakes. Take a new idea, a new recipe, a new habit, and GO FORWARD with it tucked into your steps.

Start now to pull your nutritional boundaries back into place, one thing at a time. Start with just one thing and do it (or stop it). Then choose the next thing. GO FORWARD in positive and affirming ways that will help you transition smoothly into the next season of life.

Reach out if you need help with course correction. Perhaps a detoxification program would be in order, or a nutrition consultation to revitalize your menu plans with a few easy recipes. Or maybe some ONDAMED sessions and/or IR Saunas to reinvigorate your energy pathways and detoxify.

Resolve to take one new good habit into the future with you. I’ve started to use Stasher® Bags for food storage and Swedish dishcloths (shop@threebluebirds.com) , both of which make me happier and less wasteful in the kitchen. Take a look at our revised and updated Highway to Health and Health Reset Protocol Cookbook where you will find helpful reminders and plenty of ideas for healthy eating. Let’s GO FORWARD TOGETHER!

By Admin|2020-04-30T14:31:35-05:00May 1st, 2020|General, NANCY’S NUTRITIONAL NUGGET|