MRSA & Erythromycin

[Andi78]

Hello everyone.

My son was diagnosed at 4 months with CF. He's 2 1/2 now and has been doing very well. We went to our CF clinic last week, and just yesterday we found out that his throat culture showed MRSA (Methicillin Resistant Staph...). The doctor ordered an oral antibiotic, Erythromycin, to be taken for 14 days. They're going to repeat the throat culture in a month to see if the bacteria has been "knocked down." My husband and I have been expecting this to happen at some point, but we're feeling nervous about it now anyway. I was concerned that this treatment may not be aggressive enough. Is this course of treatment normal? I'd appreciate any experience/advice you can offer!

Thank you!

Andi, mom of Alex, 2.5 with CF

 

[Emily65Roses]

For a first try, I think it's fine. I got MRSA when I was 16. The first thing they tried was Cipro. When that didn't work, they jumped up to IV Gentomycin. That worked like a charm and I haven't actively cultured MRSA since that first episode with it. If the oral Erythromycin doesn't work, they'll try something else. It's okay to let them try an oral antibiotic first, though. Since he's so young, an oral med is more likely to work on him. But even if not, they'll find something that'll do the job.

 

[thelizardqueen]

I haven't taken Erythromycin since I was a kid. What I do remember from taking it (before I built up a resistance to it), was that it did the trick for what I cultured at the time. I seem to recall that I was using it for Staph - now my docs have me on Cloxycillan. I'm sure it will do the trick - your son is young enough that oral antibiotics will work for him.

 

[Andi78]

Thanks for your replies. I feel much better now!

Andi

 

[Landy]

Just a foot note, I was told Erythromycin was very similiar to Zithromax, but quite a bit cheaper.

 

[Alyssa]

My daughter cultured MRSA once when she was 13 years old - she is now almost 18. She was treated with Cipro and (if we remember correctly..) Rifampin - both oral meds. It did the trick and so far we have not seen it again.