Question 1

mycobacterium intracellulare infection, am i contagious?

Accepted Answer

Many mycobacteria: There are &gt;200 species of mycobacteria.  We worry about mycobacterium tuberculosis because it can be transmitted between people. Atypical mycobacterium, like mai, are not contageous. These are in our h2o supply ; we drink/inhale them.  Most are problematic in people w/lung diseases (copd/cystic fibrosis) or those who are immunocompromised (hiv/transplant patients). In normal hosts usually no worry.

Question 2

how common is it for somebody to get mycobacterium tuberculosis infection?

Accepted Answer

Common: World wide TB is an endemic illness affecting millions of people.  In the US, TB is some times seen in immigrants from poor countries.  It is also associated with immune deficiency, including AIDS.

Question 3

will mycobacterium tuberculosis infection kill me if i don't get treatment?

Accepted Answer

Possible over time: Tb is a huge cause of death... More than half a million deaths worldwide...Usually these patients are not treated or diagnosed late. Typically TB from the lung causes many complications and can spread to other organs and cause death after a long period of sickness.

Question 4

what's the best treatment to get rid of mycobacterium tuberculosis infection?

Accepted Answer

Multi-drug therapy: Mycobacterium tuberculosis is the bacterium that causes tuberculosis. This was the among the most common causes of lung disease in the early 20th century when it was called "consumption." Nowadays it is unusual in the US but still common in the 3rd world and very serious. Treatment is a regimen of 2 to 4 drugs for many months. Resistant strains are cropping up, which complicates matters greatly.

Question 5

why is non tb mycobacterium occur again when a surgery on the left lung is done , now its on the right started medicine. ?

Accepted Answer

Needs abx: Imagine the lung as a sponge filled with air in which the pipes comunicate with each other; the non-mtb travels from one piece of the lung to other. Surgery is for the most affected lung but you need antibiotics as well.

Question 6

what is the best way to treat mycobacterium abscessus?

Accepted Answer

M. abscessus: Mycobacterium abscessus complex is a group of rapidly growing, multidrug-resistant, nontuberculous mycobacteria. They can cause a whole range of skin and soft tissue diseases, central nervous system infections, bacteremia, and ocular and other infections. Some of the drugs used include clarithromycin, amikacin, and cefoxitin. However treatment really is best coordinated by an ID doc who knows.

Question 7

what to do about mycobacterium intracellular (not avium)?

Accepted Answer

Mycobacteria: Mycobacterium intracellulare is something of a difficult bacterium to treat. Depending on the site of infection, you either need an Infectious Diseases specialist or a lung specialist.  Sometimes you need both! Usually this germ attacks those that are weakened - either by disease (cancer, AIDS) or some structural problem - such as damaged airways from smoking. There is good treatment, though.

Question 8

how can i culture mycobacterium tuberculosis?

Accepted Answer

You don't: The lab does, on special media. If you try it yourself, and you actually have somebody with active TB to grow it from, you'll generate a mass of nasty bacteria and if you don't know exactly what you are doing, you can make everybody around you very sick.

Question 9

is mycobacterium chelonae contagious from human to human?

Accepted Answer

Yes: Yes, but it is difficult to catch.

Question 10

what is the pathophysiology of mycobacterium tuberculosis?

Accepted Answer

Complex: Mtb is acquired thru respiratory route and replicates in the lung before asymptomatically disseminates to other organs.  After about 6-8 weeks, the immune system starts to respond to the bug, walling the bacilli off in granulomas.  Other than a positive skin test, 90% of people stay well.  Of the rest, half will "reactivate" within 2 yrs and the others later sometimes due to immune suppression.

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Doctor answers about:

Medicine for mycobacterium infections

A member asked:

Mycobacterium intracellulare infection, am i contagious?

A member asked:

How common is it for somebody to get mycobacterium tuberculosis infection?

A member asked:

Will mycobacterium tuberculosis infection kill me if i don't get treatment?

A member asked:

What's the best treatment to get rid of mycobacterium tuberculosis infection?

A member asked:

Why is non tb mycobacterium occur again when a surgery on the left lung is done , now its on the right started medicine. ?

A member asked:

What is the best way to treat mycobacterium abscessus?

A member asked:

What to do about mycobacterium intracellular (not avium)?

A member asked:

How can i culture mycobacterium tuberculosis?

A member asked:

Is mycobacterium chelonae contagious from human to human?

A member asked:

What is the pathophysiology of mycobacterium tuberculosis?

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