By NICK GOSNELL
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — An Inman man had an illness in January that he believed was COVID-19 and went looking for a way to find out if he had antibodies from that exposure.
"I found a place in Oklahoma City that you had to pay to go," said Conrad Wagler. "I wanted one that was a blood test that they actually sent to a lab to analyze. Most of these antibody tests are not yet FDA certified."
Wagler posted his test results from ARCpoint Labs of Oklahoma City on his personal Facebook page, but gave permission for them to be reposted by Hutch Post.
"I was expecting a negative," Wagler said. "At least on one indicator, it says positive."
Wagler was positive for IgM antibodies, which documentation from the lab that analyzed the sample says is evidence of early stages of antibody response and that those with high IgM and low IgG antibodies may be carriers.
"The nurse that called me from the lab said there's a short-term indicator for antibodies and a long-term indicator," Wagler said. "I tested slight on the long-term indicator, which is the funny thing. I think I had it in January, but the test results would say that it may have been more recent than that."
Wagler says as of Thursday he feels fine, hasn't felt sick since January and hasn't been around anyone other than family for two weeks.
According to the results page, there are also other viral strains that could cause antibody response that would show up on the test as well.
What's impossible to know is if this is a more recent first infection, if he's been reinfected, or if he's currently shedding virus, as the antibody test results don't clarify that.
In fact, the supporting documentation says the test results must be combined with a full clinical evaluation and examination by a licensed healthcare provider to be considered truly diagnostic.