Bacteria in throat culure

B

brendagrhodes

Guest
My son recently tested positive for CF. The nurse called and said his throat culture was positive for (I believe she said a form of staph). I'm going to call in the morning to ask more questions. I know she said that we did not have to treat this, but we had to be aware it was there. Is this the bacteria that everyone has been talking about? Sorry for being a dummy, just new!!! :)!
 

Ratatosk

Administrator
Staff member
Staph is common. Some doctors prefer not to treat unless there are symptoms.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is the one you may have heard about. Treated with Tobi. MRSA is another difficult bug to treat.
 

2roses

New member
I'm sorry to hear of your son's recent diagnosis. You didn't say how old he is, but I hope you are catching it early and he's doing well overall. Definitely follow up with your doctor with any questions (and you will also get a lot of good feedback from this forum). I hope you are seeing a pulmonologist at a certified CF Care Center--very important.

Ratatosk mentions pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA), which is a common infection in CF, especially as they get older. Over time, it can develp resistance to drugs, which has happened in my childrens' case. It's really important to regularly see your CF doctor (the protocal is every 2 months while healthy and more often when symptoms flare) and see what is culturing so you can act quickly to fight infection. Also keeping on top of respiratory treatements/chest PT (even when feeling well and having few symptoms) is important.

About treating infections, once you have a culture of a confirmed bacterial infection, the lab should also test different classes of antibiotics for senstivity -- basically what in the drug arsenal will kill the bacteria in the lab. The best approach is to attack the bugs with the lowest-level drug that will work to leave room later for more powerful drugs as resistance grows. PA is notorious for developing resistance, as well as other classically resistant bugs, like MRSA and some staph.

Best to you and your son.

Sherri
 

JustaCFmom

New member
My kids had staph and got antibiotics. They are "clean" now. Wouldn't those bugs cause inflammation in the lungs? I am in Israel, and I think the European approach is more aggressive towards these things.
Good luck!
 

Printer

Active member
Brenda:

I'm guessing that you have read alot about BURKHOLDERIA CEPACIA. This is the contagious bacteria. This is NOT in the staph family and your son does not have this.

Bill
 
B

brendagrhodes

Guest
My son is 15. We were diagnosed 1 month ago from a positive sweat test. He has been very healthy for the most part except for the fact that he has has pneoumonia 4 times in a year. He has never been hospitalized and is pancreatic sufficient. We have a lot to be thankful for. He is seeing a CF doctor at a certified CF center and they have started him on xopenex, a nebulizer treatment, and an acapella that helps clear his airways. We are doing this 2 times a day. We are still having lots of test and we are finding out more each day.
 

ymikhale

New member
My kids had staph and got antibiotics. They are "clean" now. Wouldn't those bugs cause inflammation in the lungs? I am in Israel, and I think the European approach is more aggressive towards these things.
Good luck!
I am not sure. I am in France (the best hospital here) and they are kind of cautious when it comes to antibiiotics. Where do you go to in Israel? I taook my dd to HAdassah a few years ago and there they see the patients every month and give antibiotics for every cold.
 
Top