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Diagnosed With Mycobacterium Avium Intracellulare Infection. Unable To Produce Sputum For Culture, Advised CT Scan In A Year. Late Treatment?
I have been diagnosed with Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare infection by a pulmonologist based on a CT scan. My symptoms are chronic cough, night sweats, some shortness of breath which may be due to seasonal asthma (I am on Q-var bid for this). After three days of trying, I could not produce sputum to be cultured. This was done at a hospital lab by a pulmonary therapist. My pulmonology doctor now says he will do a repeat CT scan in one year. Do you agree with this or should I have been started on a treatment for this atypical mycobacteria? Thank you.
Mon, 22 Jul 2013
Hi,
Thanks for writing in.
Sputum culture is one of the important techniques of confirming Mycobacterium avium. It may also be assessed by trying to grow the organism in blood culture over 1 to 2 weeks.
Mycobacterium avium requires a clinical diagnosis and cannot be diagnosed just by CT scan Chest findings alone, though some suspicion might be attached to it.
Please be aware of clinical symptoms of the disease like weight loss, continuous fever, non resolving cough for more than a month and formation of sputum. You may contact your doctor if these symptoms worsen in future for a repeat attempt at sputum culture.
Hope this helps.
Thanks for writing in.
Sputum culture is one of the important techniques of confirming Mycobacterium avium. It may also be assessed by trying to grow the organism in blood culture over 1 to 2 weeks.
Mycobacterium avium requires a clinical diagnosis and cannot be diagnosed just by CT scan Chest findings alone, though some suspicion might be attached to it.
Please be aware of clinical symptoms of the disease like weight loss, continuous fever, non resolving cough for more than a month and formation of sputum. You may contact your doctor if these symptoms worsen in future for a repeat attempt at sputum culture.
Hope this helps.
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