Pseudomonas Culture Questions

[JennyCoulon]

My 5 year old cultured for Pseudo on a random culture even though he had no symptoms. He was on oral Cipro for 14 days and Tobi for 28 days. We just heard today that he still cultured it on the follow up last week. We are now being admitted on Thursday for 3-5 days to get him on IV antibotics. Once his level is where it should be he will be able to come home and return to school with his PICC line. What comes next if he cultures it again after the 14 days of IV antibotics? We have a 11 year old also that has never cultured it, knock on wood. This is the first time either one of our kids will be admitted and we are a little nervous. Any advise would be greatly appreciated.

 

[JennyCoulon]

My 5 year old cultured for Pseudo on a random culture even though he had no symptoms. He was on oral Cipro for 14 days and Tobi for 28 days. We just heard today that he still cultured it on the follow up last week. We are now being admitted on Thursday for 3-5 days to get him on IV antibotics. Once his level is where it should be he will be able to come home and return to school with his PICC line. What comes next if he cultures it again after the 14 days of IV antibotics? We have a 11 year old also that has never cultured it, knock on wood. This is the first time either one of our kids will be admitted and we are a little nervous. Any advise would be greatly appreciated.

 

[JennyCoulon]

My 5 year old cultured for Pseudo on a random culture even though he had no symptoms. He was on oral Cipro for 14 days and Tobi for 28 days. We just heard today that he still cultured it on the follow up last week. We are now being admitted on Thursday for 3-5 days to get him on IV antibotics. Once his level is where it should be he will be able to come home and return to school with his PICC line. What comes next if he cultures it again after the 14 days of IV antibotics? We have a 11 year old also that has never cultured it, knock on wood. This is the first time either one of our kids will be admitted and we are a little nervous. Any advise would be greatly appreciated.

 

[TonyaH]

Well, the first culture is definitely a shock. I remember Andrew's very well. Doctors are very aggressive in treating the first positive PA culture. Studies have shown that when the first PA infection is eradicated it can be many years before it shows up again.

If he does happen to culture pseudomonas again after the iv antibiotics treatment will really depend on whether or not he is symptomatic. For instance, Andrew first cultured PA at 9 months, then went about 4 years without culturing it. After that, any time his symptoms increased (cough, shortness of breath, decline in FEV1), he was treated with TOBI and cipro until that just didn't cut it anymore. Now, it takes iv abx to kick the PA down a notch. Basically at this point it's always there. We only treat it when he is showing signs of an active exacerbation.

So, to give you a simple answer, hopefully these meds will kick the PA away for a long long time. But if thats not the case, you will most likely be put on TOBI nebs as maintenance and treated with orals or ivs only on an as-needed basis for exacerbations.

Good luck to you! I know the first culture is a slap of reality. Hang in there!

 

[TonyaH]

Well, the first culture is definitely a shock. I remember Andrew's very well. Doctors are very aggressive in treating the first positive PA culture. Studies have shown that when the first PA infection is eradicated it can be many years before it shows up again.

If he does happen to culture pseudomonas again after the iv antibiotics treatment will really depend on whether or not he is symptomatic. For instance, Andrew first cultured PA at 9 months, then went about 4 years without culturing it. After that, any time his symptoms increased (cough, shortness of breath, decline in FEV1), he was treated with TOBI and cipro until that just didn't cut it anymore. Now, it takes iv abx to kick the PA down a notch. Basically at this point it's always there. We only treat it when he is showing signs of an active exacerbation.

So, to give you a simple answer, hopefully these meds will kick the PA away for a long long time. But if thats not the case, you will most likely be put on TOBI nebs as maintenance and treated with orals or ivs only on an as-needed basis for exacerbations.

Good luck to you! I know the first culture is a slap of reality. Hang in there!

 

[TonyaH]

Well, the first culture is definitely a shock. I remember Andrew's very well. Doctors are very aggressive in treating the first positive PA culture. Studies have shown that when the first PA infection is eradicated it can be many years before it shows up again.
<br />
<br />If he does happen to culture pseudomonas again after the iv antibiotics treatment will really depend on whether or not he is symptomatic. For instance, Andrew first cultured PA at 9 months, then went about 4 years without culturing it. After that, any time his symptoms increased (cough, shortness of breath, decline in FEV1), he was treated with TOBI and cipro until that just didn't cut it anymore. Now, it takes iv abx to kick the PA down a notch. Basically at this point it's always there. We only treat it when he is showing signs of an active exacerbation.
<br />
<br />So, to give you a simple answer, hopefully these meds will kick the PA away for a long long time. But if thats not the case, you will most likely be put on TOBI nebs as maintenance and treated with orals or ivs only on an as-needed basis for exacerbations.
<br />
<br />Good luck to you! I know the first culture is a slap of reality. Hang in there!

 

[AimeeSue82]

I can't remember a time when I didn't culture PA. I probably got it when I was a kid going to CF Camp- who knew it was bad that we were all coughing on each other? Anyway, I do TOBI every other month and Cayston every other month to keep the infection under control. And when it gets crazy, I have to be hospitalized and get Tobra and Zosyn IVs. It sounds scary to hear that something has grown, but really it can be handled pretty well. Now I culture MRSA too. The first time I grew it, I freaked out, but it's been a couple years now and it's just one more thing. Not really a big deal. Treat it as it comes.

~Aimee, 28 CF w/ PA & MRSA

 

[AimeeSue82]

I can't remember a time when I didn't culture PA. I probably got it when I was a kid going to CF Camp- who knew it was bad that we were all coughing on each other? Anyway, I do TOBI every other month and Cayston every other month to keep the infection under control. And when it gets crazy, I have to be hospitalized and get Tobra and Zosyn IVs. It sounds scary to hear that something has grown, but really it can be handled pretty well. Now I culture MRSA too. The first time I grew it, I freaked out, but it's been a couple years now and it's just one more thing. Not really a big deal. Treat it as it comes.

~Aimee, 28 CF w/ PA & MRSA

 

[AimeeSue82]

I can't remember a time when I didn't culture PA. I probably got it when I was a kid going to CF Camp- who knew it was bad that we were all coughing on each other? Anyway, I do TOBI every other month and Cayston every other month to keep the infection under control. And when it gets crazy, I have to be hospitalized and get Tobra and Zosyn IVs. It sounds scary to hear that something has grown, but really it can be handled pretty well. Now I culture MRSA too. The first time I grew it, I freaked out, but it's been a couple years now and it's just one more thing. Not really a big deal. Treat it as it comes.
<br />
<br />~Aimee, 28 CF w/ PA & MRSA