Not treating staph???

[CDavis]

My daughter has cultured staph auras (Not MRSA) in her lungs. I asked about treating it and the clinic told me staph is just part of having CF they don't treat it unless it's symptomatic.

Is this right? Normal? Or just lazy? She has a known and treatable lung infection but instead of trying to zap it early it's best to wait until it has formed a serious colony, taken over, grown out of controle? Am I overreacting? Is this no big deal? I'd really like to know what other clinics are doing.

 

[4hats]

I culture staph pretty much all the time. Generally, if I am feeling ok they will not treat it. But, if my sputum increases, if I have any pains (plugs), or if my FEV1 drops a certain amount they will prescribe some antibiotics for me. I hope this helps some.

 

[AleksandraKaczynska]

same here.. when Asia cultured it and had no inflamination they would not treat it - it went away and has not returned for almost 2 years so far.As far as I understand it - staph has a nasty way to fight with antibiotics and produces something toxic to fight back - and if its not symptomatic its not dangerous
I believe we got rid of it cause of using Flavon
also honey, garlic amd mauka honey can help

 

[Julie7]

Ask for the report just to be certain. It should say staph and something else like "few" or "moderate", etc. my son tested positive for few staph and was not treated. He's in limbo rt now, no CF diagnosis but just thought I'd share what the CF pulm said. Along the lines of others, since it was not MRSA, no symptoms, treating it might actually create an environment for nastier bugs as I understand it. Do, it depends on the kind and situation regarding symptoms. Hope that helps.

 

[JennyCoulon]

My oldest who is almost 13 years old almost always cultures staph and they dont treat it unless he is symptomatic. They dont want to treat something unless they really need to.

 

[Justinsmama]

Hi,

My just turned 8 year old son has cultured it twice in the past few months. First time, it was mild. Ped decided to treat because his FEV1 dropped and he was having symptoms. Clinic said only if there were symptoms. His next culture about 1 month later, he cultured moderate staph and mild h. influ. Clinic is not treating either unless there is an issue. Does anyone know, do you culture these things without having CF. He has cultured (in 6 months) staph twice, h. inlfu twice and strep once. Not to mention 4 pneumonias without culture. I know he is diagnosed, but always that hope that they might be wrong. Only found 1 mutation (although doc had another patient with same mutation and similar outcome - thinks second mutation is in a place they did not check or duplication/deleation) but completely pancreatic insufficent on GI side.
Thank you for your input. Hope our experience helps with your question.

 

[CDavis]

Thanks everyone for your answers. I didn't realize that fighting it can cause things to get worse. I too wuld like to know if staph cultures in everyone or just CF patients. I was told my my clinic Drs years ago the H.flu is comon to everyone.
Thanks.

 

[Julie7]

My pediatrician said while h flu is common to everyone, kids are immunized against it in US. Pulm also said h flu is most common cause of sinusitis, ear infx, etc. the two comments don't really make sense together but think CFers get h flu more commonly maybe cause they r more immunocompromised? I know there are some good articles, prob on cff.org that explain most common bugs in CFers by age-that might be helpful...

 

[Ratatosk]

Despite my child being vaccinated for H flu, he cultured it constantly for the first two years and with it, seemed like he had a constant sinus infection. When he was 2 1/2 he was put on azithromycin and his doctor mentioned as a plus it would most likely irradicate his h flu. It did.