MELISA - Metal Allergy Testing
The Allergy Blood Test
Hypersensitivity (allergy) is a complex phenomenon whose characteristics are still not completely understood. Therefore, laboratory tools for identification of allergens are in great demand. MELISA is a blood test which has been scientifically and clinically evaluated to objectively diagnose cellular hypersensitivity (type IV allergy). MELISA can identify a hypersensitivity reaction, which can be triggered by substances such as the preservatives in vaccines or mercury, gold, and cadmium used in dental restorations.
People sensitive to these substances have been found by the MELISA test to suffer from local and systemic reactions. Symptoms can range from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) or Multiple Sclerosis (MS) to skin diseases such as psoriasis and eczema. In young children who react to thimerosal in vaccines, there is a risk of a vaccine-triggered immunological attack on the brain, which may precipitate autistic disorders.
Why Are Metals So Dangerous?
When certain heavy metals (such as nickel or mercury) enter the body, they become ionised and unstable. They seek proteins to bind to. In most cases, this poses no threat to health. But in an allergic patient, the metal poses a risk since the immune system will incorrectly recognise the metal-protein complex as an antigen, or invader, and start to attack it.
In the first instance the white blood cells, or lymphocytes, start to expand and multiply to fight this so-called invader. This, in itself, triggers the body's early warning system, known as the hypothalamic-pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis.
In some cases, antibodies to the metal-protein complex may be created. This is deleterious if the metal has bonded to myelin, the fatty substance that insulates brain nerves. If myelin is attacked, the brain's ability to control the body is impaired. Damage to myelin is present in patients suffering from MS but also in children with autistic disorders.
MELISA objectively measures the proliferation of memory lymphocytes - the hallmark of an immunological reaction. Memory lymphocytes in the blood "remember" the encounter with certain metals or other allergens in the past and this is why they will grow and divide upon the re-exposure to the same metal added into the culture. This reaction can be objectively measured and compared to the reactivity of control cells cultivated in the absence of any metal. Parallel cultures are also incubated with so called mitogen (mitosis=division) to check the general wellbeing of cells.
MELISA® and CFS (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome)
When a person catches a cold, he feels tired and wants to rest until the infection is successfully fought. The message to rest is sent by the HPA axis, which coordinates communication between the brain and the immune system.
For patients who suffer a metal-induced immunological attack, the HPA axis is put on false alert. There is no real "invader" - only metal ions, which can be released through dental fillings, metal implants or other sources. In its largest experiment, MELISA tested 930 patients complaining of fatigue-related symptoms, 62 percent tested positive to metal allergy. Of those who agreed to replace the substance they were diagnosed as reacting to, 76 percent reported significant health benefits afterwards.
CFS patients diagnosed with metal allergy by MELISA can achieve substantial health improvement if they replace the offending metal.
MELISA® and Multiple Sclerosis
An MS patient diagnosed with metal allergy by MELISA should remove the offending metal - this may halt the immunological attack on the myelin sheaths in the brain, which could be the cause behind MS. This is a complex disease, but for patients who's MS is being triggered by metal allergy, MELISA can diagnose the aetiology. In one case, an MS patient was able to walk again after removing her metal fillings.
MELISA®: What It Is Not
It is important to distinguish between metal allergy and metal toxicity. MELISA does not measure the levels of metals in a patient's body; it measures whether the patient is allergic to metals. For examples, hair samples may show levels of mercury or other substances, which are below the official "safe limit" - but the patient can still be allergic. For allergic babies, there is no such thing as a "safe" limit. Even trace amounts of a substance pose danger if the substance triggers an immunological reaction.
MELISA®: Results
The results of a MELISA test are expressed in a Stimulation Index, accompanied by a graph (below). Normally, each substance is tested in at least two concentrations, to obtain the optimum result. The blood cells are labelled with radioactive isotopes and the radioactive DNA is then counted in a beta counter. In parallel, cultured cells are concentrated by centrifugation, stained and the number of stimulated cells is counted under the microscope. This so called morphological evaluation contributes to even more accurate results.
