Help - Questions??

[Allisa35]

Hello all. I hope someone can help me out. I've been reading most of the night trying to find info and I think my brain is going into shutdown mode. I think I am becoming more confused with the more I read.

I just got my sputum culture results back today and I have Staph A, Psuedomonas, and now Aspergillus Fumigatus. I know there have been a few posts about it, but I didn't quite find what I was looking for. Here are my questions:

1. How does A. Fumigatus differ from the other forms of aspergillus?

2. Does this type of fungus always turn into something else, such as the ABPA or aspergillius, etc.

3. I read that and IgE test isn't always accurate when trying to determine if a CF pt. has ABPA. Have any of you been tested using this and do you know how accurate it was?

4. Is there a way to tell if you have the ABPA aside from taking the IgE test, i.e. specific symptoms?

I had actually called the nurse today to see if the dr. would prescribe me an antibiotic (before I read my sputum results). I don't really "feel sick", but I have been coughing more than usual. I keep getting this irritating feeling in the back of my throat that makes me cough. I asked the nurse about the A.F. because this was the first I've cultured it. She said the dr. just kind of wanted to wait and see and get another sputum next time I am in. He did put me on Levaquin.

Sorry so lenghthy. Hope someone can shed some light on this for me. I am a bit nervous about culturing this one. Thanks!

 

[Allisa35]

Hello all. I hope someone can help me out. I've been reading most of the night trying to find info and I think my brain is going into shutdown mode. I think I am becoming more confused with the more I read.

I just got my sputum culture results back today and I have Staph A, Psuedomonas, and now Aspergillus Fumigatus. I know there have been a few posts about it, but I didn't quite find what I was looking for. Here are my questions:

1. How does A. Fumigatus differ from the other forms of aspergillus?

2. Does this type of fungus always turn into something else, such as the ABPA or aspergillius, etc.

3. I read that and IgE test isn't always accurate when trying to determine if a CF pt. has ABPA. Have any of you been tested using this and do you know how accurate it was?

4. Is there a way to tell if you have the ABPA aside from taking the IgE test, i.e. specific symptoms?

I had actually called the nurse today to see if the dr. would prescribe me an antibiotic (before I read my sputum results). I don't really "feel sick", but I have been coughing more than usual. I keep getting this irritating feeling in the back of my throat that makes me cough. I asked the nurse about the A.F. because this was the first I've cultured it. She said the dr. just kind of wanted to wait and see and get another sputum next time I am in. He did put me on Levaquin.

Sorry so lenghthy. Hope someone can shed some light on this for me. I am a bit nervous about culturing this one. Thanks!

 

[Allisa35]

Hello all. I hope someone can help me out. I've been reading most of the night trying to find info and I think my brain is going into shutdown mode. I think I am becoming more confused with the more I read.

I just got my sputum culture results back today and I have Staph A, Psuedomonas, and now Aspergillus Fumigatus. I know there have been a few posts about it, but I didn't quite find what I was looking for. Here are my questions:

1. How does A. Fumigatus differ from the other forms of aspergillus?

2. Does this type of fungus always turn into something else, such as the ABPA or aspergillius, etc.

3. I read that and IgE test isn't always accurate when trying to determine if a CF pt. has ABPA. Have any of you been tested using this and do you know how accurate it was?

4. Is there a way to tell if you have the ABPA aside from taking the IgE test, i.e. specific symptoms?

I had actually called the nurse today to see if the dr. would prescribe me an antibiotic (before I read my sputum results). I don't really "feel sick", but I have been coughing more than usual. I keep getting this irritating feeling in the back of my throat that makes me cough. I asked the nurse about the A.F. because this was the first I've cultured it. She said the dr. just kind of wanted to wait and see and get another sputum next time I am in. He did put me on Levaquin.

Sorry so lenghthy. Hope someone can shed some light on this for me. I am a bit nervous about culturing this one. Thanks!

 

[Allisa35]

Hello all. I hope someone can help me out. I've been reading most of the night trying to find info and I think my brain is going into shutdown mode. I think I am becoming more confused with the more I read.

I just got my sputum culture results back today and I have Staph A, Psuedomonas, and now Aspergillus Fumigatus. I know there have been a few posts about it, but I didn't quite find what I was looking for. Here are my questions:

1. How does A. Fumigatus differ from the other forms of aspergillus?

2. Does this type of fungus always turn into something else, such as the ABPA or aspergillius, etc.

3. I read that and IgE test isn't always accurate when trying to determine if a CF pt. has ABPA. Have any of you been tested using this and do you know how accurate it was?

4. Is there a way to tell if you have the ABPA aside from taking the IgE test, i.e. specific symptoms?

I had actually called the nurse today to see if the dr. would prescribe me an antibiotic (before I read my sputum results). I don't really "feel sick", but I have been coughing more than usual. I keep getting this irritating feeling in the back of my throat that makes me cough. I asked the nurse about the A.F. because this was the first I've cultured it. She said the dr. just kind of wanted to wait and see and get another sputum next time I am in. He did put me on Levaquin.

Sorry so lenghthy. Hope someone can shed some light on this for me. I am a bit nervous about culturing this one. Thanks!

 

[Allisa35]

Hello all. I hope someone can help me out. I've been reading most of the night trying to find info and I think my brain is going into shutdown mode. I think I am becoming more confused with the more I read.

I just got my sputum culture results back today and I have Staph A, Psuedomonas, and now Aspergillus Fumigatus. I know there have been a few posts about it, but I didn't quite find what I was looking for. Here are my questions:

1. How does A. Fumigatus differ from the other forms of aspergillus?

2. Does this type of fungus always turn into something else, such as the ABPA or aspergillius, etc.

3. I read that and IgE test isn't always accurate when trying to determine if a CF pt. has ABPA. Have any of you been tested using this and do you know how accurate it was?

4. Is there a way to tell if you have the ABPA aside from taking the IgE test, i.e. specific symptoms?

I had actually called the nurse today to see if the dr. would prescribe me an antibiotic (before I read my sputum results). I don't really "feel sick", but I have been coughing more than usual. I keep getting this irritating feeling in the back of my throat that makes me cough. I asked the nurse about the A.F. because this was the first I've cultured it. She said the dr. just kind of wanted to wait and see and get another sputum next time I am in. He did put me on Levaquin.

Sorry so lenghthy. Hope someone can shed some light on this for me. I am a bit nervous about culturing this one. Thanks!

 

[Alyssa]

I am in the middle of researching ABPA too. We are awaiting test results for my son right now. Should be a few more days - they said 7 days for the blood work.

I do know that you can culture AF and it doesn't cause as much of a problem if you are not allergic to it. It's the A in the ABPA that makes it "allergic brochopulmonary aspergillosis"

Wikipedia has a very informative page on it, just type in ABPA. It has a list of symptoms and a list of tests used to determine if a person has ABPA -- you can culture AF but not have an allergic response to it.

The criteria looked at for making a diagnosis are:
A full blood count usually reveals eosinophilia more than 10% and there is a raised serum IgE more than 1000ng/ml.

Chest radiography shows various transient abnormalities:

consolidation or collapse
thickened bronchial wall markings
peripheral shadows
signs of central bronchiectasis
Aspergillus specific tests:

precipitating antibodies to aspergillus species in >90% of cases
aspergillus-specific IgE RAST test
skin-prick test is almost always positive to Aspergillus fumigatus

<b>Symptoms</b>
wheeze
cough
fever
malaise
recurrent pneumonia (eosinophilic, therefore not responding to antibiotics)
expectoration of mucoid plugs (containing the fungal hyphae)
unexplained worsening of asthma or cystic fibrosis


also to address you questions:
1) I don't know
2) it doesn't "turn" it's just a matter of whether or not you are allergic
3) see above - there are multiple things too look at besides just IgE
4) also see above - info from wikipedia

From what I can tell it seems like steroids are the best bet for treatment.

Here are a couple very good websites (originally posted by Liz from Canada that I saw on some old posts of hers)

<a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/BHCV2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Aspergillus?open
">http://www.betterhealth.vic.go...ages/Aspergillus?open
</a><a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://www.aspergillus.org.uk/indexhome.htm?languages/english.php~main
">http://www.aspergillus.org.uk/...ages/english.php~main
</a>

 

[Alyssa]

I am in the middle of researching ABPA too. We are awaiting test results for my son right now. Should be a few more days - they said 7 days for the blood work.

I do know that you can culture AF and it doesn't cause as much of a problem if you are not allergic to it. It's the A in the ABPA that makes it "allergic brochopulmonary aspergillosis"

Wikipedia has a very informative page on it, just type in ABPA. It has a list of symptoms and a list of tests used to determine if a person has ABPA -- you can culture AF but not have an allergic response to it.

The criteria looked at for making a diagnosis are:
A full blood count usually reveals eosinophilia more than 10% and there is a raised serum IgE more than 1000ng/ml.

Chest radiography shows various transient abnormalities:

consolidation or collapse
thickened bronchial wall markings
peripheral shadows
signs of central bronchiectasis
Aspergillus specific tests:

precipitating antibodies to aspergillus species in >90% of cases
aspergillus-specific IgE RAST test
skin-prick test is almost always positive to Aspergillus fumigatus

<b>Symptoms</b>
wheeze
cough
fever
malaise
recurrent pneumonia (eosinophilic, therefore not responding to antibiotics)
expectoration of mucoid plugs (containing the fungal hyphae)
unexplained worsening of asthma or cystic fibrosis


also to address you questions:
1) I don't know
2) it doesn't "turn" it's just a matter of whether or not you are allergic
3) see above - there are multiple things too look at besides just IgE
4) also see above - info from wikipedia

From what I can tell it seems like steroids are the best bet for treatment.

Here are a couple very good websites (originally posted by Liz from Canada that I saw on some old posts of hers)

<a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/BHCV2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Aspergillus?open
">http://www.betterhealth.vic.go...ages/Aspergillus?open
</a><a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://www.aspergillus.org.uk/indexhome.htm?languages/english.php~main
">http://www.aspergillus.org.uk/...ages/english.php~main
</a>

 

[Alyssa]

I am in the middle of researching ABPA too. We are awaiting test results for my son right now. Should be a few more days - they said 7 days for the blood work.

I do know that you can culture AF and it doesn't cause as much of a problem if you are not allergic to it. It's the A in the ABPA that makes it "allergic brochopulmonary aspergillosis"

Wikipedia has a very informative page on it, just type in ABPA. It has a list of symptoms and a list of tests used to determine if a person has ABPA -- you can culture AF but not have an allergic response to it.

The criteria looked at for making a diagnosis are:
A full blood count usually reveals eosinophilia more than 10% and there is a raised serum IgE more than 1000ng/ml.

Chest radiography shows various transient abnormalities:

consolidation or collapse
thickened bronchial wall markings
peripheral shadows
signs of central bronchiectasis
Aspergillus specific tests:

precipitating antibodies to aspergillus species in >90% of cases
aspergillus-specific IgE RAST test
skin-prick test is almost always positive to Aspergillus fumigatus

<b>Symptoms</b>
wheeze
cough
fever
malaise
recurrent pneumonia (eosinophilic, therefore not responding to antibiotics)
expectoration of mucoid plugs (containing the fungal hyphae)
unexplained worsening of asthma or cystic fibrosis


also to address you questions:
1) I don't know
2) it doesn't "turn" it's just a matter of whether or not you are allergic
3) see above - there are multiple things too look at besides just IgE
4) also see above - info from wikipedia

From what I can tell it seems like steroids are the best bet for treatment.

Here are a couple very good websites (originally posted by Liz from Canada that I saw on some old posts of hers)

<a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/BHCV2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Aspergillus?open
">http://www.betterhealth.vic.go...ages/Aspergillus?open
</a><a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://www.aspergillus.org.uk/indexhome.htm?languages/english.php~main
">http://www.aspergillus.org.uk/...ages/english.php~main
</a>

 

[Alyssa]

I am in the middle of researching ABPA too. We are awaiting test results for my son right now. Should be a few more days - they said 7 days for the blood work.

I do know that you can culture AF and it doesn't cause as much of a problem if you are not allergic to it. It's the A in the ABPA that makes it "allergic brochopulmonary aspergillosis"

Wikipedia has a very informative page on it, just type in ABPA. It has a list of symptoms and a list of tests used to determine if a person has ABPA -- you can culture AF but not have an allergic response to it.

The criteria looked at for making a diagnosis are:
A full blood count usually reveals eosinophilia more than 10% and there is a raised serum IgE more than 1000ng/ml.

Chest radiography shows various transient abnormalities:

consolidation or collapse
thickened bronchial wall markings
peripheral shadows
signs of central bronchiectasis
Aspergillus specific tests:

precipitating antibodies to aspergillus species in >90% of cases
aspergillus-specific IgE RAST test
skin-prick test is almost always positive to Aspergillus fumigatus

<b>Symptoms</b>
wheeze
cough
fever
malaise
recurrent pneumonia (eosinophilic, therefore not responding to antibiotics)
expectoration of mucoid plugs (containing the fungal hyphae)
unexplained worsening of asthma or cystic fibrosis


also to address you questions:
1) I don't know
2) it doesn't "turn" it's just a matter of whether or not you are allergic
3) see above - there are multiple things too look at besides just IgE
4) also see above - info from wikipedia

From what I can tell it seems like steroids are the best bet for treatment.

Here are a couple very good websites (originally posted by Liz from Canada that I saw on some old posts of hers)

<a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/BHCV2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Aspergillus?open
">http://www.betterhealth.vic.go...ages/Aspergillus?open
</a><a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://www.aspergillus.org.uk/indexhome.htm?languages/english.php~main
">http://www.aspergillus.org.uk/...ages/english.php~main
</a>

 

[Alyssa]

I am in the middle of researching ABPA too. We are awaiting test results for my son right now. Should be a few more days - they said 7 days for the blood work.

I do know that you can culture AF and it doesn't cause as much of a problem if you are not allergic to it. It's the A in the ABPA that makes it "allergic brochopulmonary aspergillosis"

Wikipedia has a very informative page on it, just type in ABPA. It has a list of symptoms and a list of tests used to determine if a person has ABPA -- you can culture AF but not have an allergic response to it.

The criteria looked at for making a diagnosis are:
A full blood count usually reveals eosinophilia more than 10% and there is a raised serum IgE more than 1000ng/ml.

Chest radiography shows various transient abnormalities:

consolidation or collapse
thickened bronchial wall markings
peripheral shadows
signs of central bronchiectasis
Aspergillus specific tests:

precipitating antibodies to aspergillus species in >90% of cases
aspergillus-specific IgE RAST test
skin-prick test is almost always positive to Aspergillus fumigatus

<b>Symptoms</b>
wheeze
cough
fever
malaise
recurrent pneumonia (eosinophilic, therefore not responding to antibiotics)
expectoration of mucoid plugs (containing the fungal hyphae)
unexplained worsening of asthma or cystic fibrosis


also to address you questions:
1) I don't know
2) it doesn't "turn" it's just a matter of whether or not you are allergic
3) see above - there are multiple things too look at besides just IgE
4) also see above - info from wikipedia

From what I can tell it seems like steroids are the best bet for treatment.

Here are a couple very good websites (originally posted by Liz from Canada that I saw on some old posts of hers)

<a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/BHCV2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Aspergillus?open
">http://www.betterhealth.vic.go...ages/Aspergillus?open
</a><a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://www.aspergillus.org.uk/indexhome.htm?languages/english.php~main
">http://www.aspergillus.org.uk/...ages/english.php~main
</a>

 

[lightNlife]

One thing I'd add to what Alyssa posted is that an antibiotic (like levaquin) will NOT take care of an aspergillus problem. Aspergillus is a fungus, so you need to treat it with a fungicide like Sporanox, V-fend or the like.

Here's a link to some more information about ABPA

<a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://understandingcysticfibrosis.blogspot.com/2007/04/understanding-allergic-bronchopulmonary.html">http://understandingcysticfibr...-bronchopulmonary.html</a>

 

[lightNlife]

One thing I'd add to what Alyssa posted is that an antibiotic (like levaquin) will NOT take care of an aspergillus problem. Aspergillus is a fungus, so you need to treat it with a fungicide like Sporanox, V-fend or the like.

Here's a link to some more information about ABPA

<a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://understandingcysticfibrosis.blogspot.com/2007/04/understanding-allergic-bronchopulmonary.html">http://understandingcysticfibr...-bronchopulmonary.html</a>

 

[lightNlife]

One thing I'd add to what Alyssa posted is that an antibiotic (like levaquin) will NOT take care of an aspergillus problem. Aspergillus is a fungus, so you need to treat it with a fungicide like Sporanox, V-fend or the like.

Here's a link to some more information about ABPA

<a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://understandingcysticfibrosis.blogspot.com/2007/04/understanding-allergic-bronchopulmonary.html">http://understandingcysticfibr...-bronchopulmonary.html</a>

 

[lightNlife]

One thing I'd add to what Alyssa posted is that an antibiotic (like levaquin) will NOT take care of an aspergillus problem. Aspergillus is a fungus, so you need to treat it with a fungicide like Sporanox, V-fend or the like.

Here's a link to some more information about ABPA

<a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://understandingcysticfibrosis.blogspot.com/2007/04/understanding-allergic-bronchopulmonary.html">http://understandingcysticfibr...-bronchopulmonary.html</a>

 

[lightNlife]

One thing I'd add to what Alyssa posted is that an antibiotic (like levaquin) will NOT take care of an aspergillus problem. Aspergillus is a fungus, so you need to treat it with a fungicide like Sporanox, V-fend or the like.

Here's a link to some more information about ABPA

<a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://understandingcysticfibrosis.blogspot.com/2007/04/understanding-allergic-bronchopulmonary.html">http://understandingcysticfibr...-bronchopulmonary.html</a>