Mycobacteria Forum

[CowTown]

Lisa, the type of Mac that I have takes about 6 weeks to grow in a sensitivity test. Macs are very slow growing bugs. Very annoying.

 

[anonymous]

Thanks for the explaination, Kelly.
Well that is extra frustrating isn't it. (And to think I had finally thought of some way to make ex usefull too.)

 

[Jane]

Thanks for the thought anyway.

 

[anonymous]

So one question that comes to my mind is do they normally check mine (our) sputums this long. I mean when I submit a Sputum, how long do they keep it for. Usually I get the results in a 4 or so days and that is it. So my question is, is that it or do they keep it growing?

 

[anonymous]

Certain bacteria are quick growing and easy to recognize. The common ones are identifiable right away. The mycobacteria sometimes show up right away, but they are difficult to identify until they grow out in quantities. The growing out part takes a while. The bugs my kids have take FOREVER.

This time, I'm beginning to feel that we don't have forever to wait.



Jane

 

[anonymous]

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote><i>Originally posted by: <b>anonymous</b></i>

So one question that comes to my mind is do they normally check mine (our) sputums this long. I mean when I submit a Sputum, how long do they keep it for. Usually I get the results in a 4 or so days and that is it. So my question is, is that it or do they keep it growing?</end quote></div>

Anon -
They need to specially prescribe the test for Mycobacterium. It is not usually a standard sputum check. They will usually request based on symptoms/complaints.

They perform an Acid Fact Test - AFB (Acid Fast Bacillus). Myco sp. stain poorly by standard methods and grow slow so they need to specially request this. Mycobacteria possess cell walls that contain mycolic acids, which are long-chain, multiply cross-linked fatty acids. These long-chain mycolic acids serve to complex basic dyes, contributing to the characteristic of acid-fastness that idstinguishes them from other bacteria. Saved some of my books from college. I recently had one completed because I have had occasional night sweats and a persistent cough. My dr. said it is hard to diagnose so they usually do the AFB test along with a CT scan, and symptoms for dx.

Not logged in. - point 28 w/cf

 

[anonymous]

what karen said, Jane.
Please at least don't feel you are alone.
It is so little we can offer it seems right now,
but please let you feel our love and presence in your life every moment of the day.

Where are you anyway? Jesse came home yesterday (Tuesday) and Josh is still in hospital, right?
Where are you?
Are you home or in Boston?
Are you feeling like you need to be in 2 places at once?
Do you have friends and family to help you cover? People to take on the everyday things like cleaning and such?

Is there <i>any</i>thing we can do to help?

Keeping you, Josh, and Jesse in my heart....
-lisav