The fact is the case at present is now in litigation. It is clear I DO NOT
and DID NOT HAVE tuberculosis yet the stumbling point at present is my first
sputum. After fifteen weeks this was found to contain M. Chelonei.
It is M. Chelonei that my original question was about.
I would like an answer to this question:
Ps If you dont answer I understand as it is a very long question
All this begins in Feb 2000.
>From the information below I would be very grateful of any thoughts you may
have. I am the patient. I am HIV negative.
>From one xray and the information from the TB lab report below I was
treated for Tuberculosis then Multidrug resistant tuberculosis, then
Micobacteria Chelonei. I was told I needed part of my lung removed, then
told a lung would be removed. I was later to find in my medical
records. QUOTE, "Disease has spread to both lungs, we have a problem here"
UNQUOTE
I later gave three further sputums all of which were negative.
Below are the lab reports from my FIRST sputum
Specimen/Site: Sputum Lab No:
Details: Collect date: 21/02/2000
Authorised by:XXXXXX 23/02/2000 Received: 21/02/2000
Appearance Mucoid Specimen
Culture 1. 3+ Normal upper respiratory tract flora
Specimen/Site: Sputum for TB Examination Lab No:
Details: Collect date: 21/02/2000
Authorised by:XXXXXX 12/ 04 /2000 Received: 21/02/2000
Acid Fast Acid fast bacilli NOT seen
Culture 1 Microbacterium species
2 Culture sent for reference
Specimen/Site: AFB ID ( MYCOBACTERIA ) Lab No:
Details: Collect date: 21/02/2000
Authorised by:XXXXXX 15/05/2000 Received :12/04/2000
Refered to Mycobacterium ref Lab
Culture 1 Mycobacteriam Chelonei
2 This organism is a common enviromental saprophyte
Dated 15/05/2000 End of Report
Note how many weeks this took to become positive.
>From the information given by these three microbiology reports of the same
sputum :
Question 1. From the results of this one sputum would you instigate a full
anti Tuberculosis treatment regime?
Question 2. Could it be inferred that this was a multi drug resistant strain
of microbacteria chelonei resistant to front line TB medication?
Question 3. In context to the above sputum what does "Normal upper
respiratory tract flora" mean?
Question 4. In context to the above sputum what does "Common enviromental
saprophyte" mean?
I gave three sputums dated 17th, 18th, 19th April 2000 all of which
were negative. At the time I was told they were postive. By June I
was told I was to have my lung removed. I stopped the medication in
August which consisted of usual front line TB drugs plus
ciprofloxacin 1000mg + clarithromycin 1000mg totalling 18 tabs per
day. The doctor however still insists I have chelonei and it is a
matter of time before I appear at hospital with symptoms.
In August 2000 after researching on the internet I found and was seen
by a tb expert Dr PDO Davies who said I did not need medication let
alone
surgery. He said I did not have microbcterium chelonei, mdr tb or
even ordinary tb. He advised me to stop medication immediately. He
has seen me since all sputums have been negative. It turns out the
pains I was initially suffering from which led me to the doctors was
costochondritis.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Larry Farrell" <farrlarr at isu.edu>
Newsgroups: bionet.microbiology,sci.bio.microbiology,sci.med.laboratory
Sent: Sunday, January 05, 2003 11:22 PM
Subject: Re: TB or not TB?
> auntie_biotic wrote:
>> > I have one "specialist saying I have tb and was treated for it whilst
> > another told me to stop treatment. I have since had the opinion of
another
> > who says the first is correct
> > "Larry Farrell" <farrlarr at isu.edu> wrote in message
> > news:3E18B803.FA5F4E79 at isu.edu...> > > auntie_biotic wrote:
> > >
> > > > From a sputum sample described as "Normal Upper Respiratory tract
> > flora".
> > > > AFB was not seen.
> > > > The sample was cultured for TB
> > > > Declared negative after 4 weeks.
> > > > One month later the same sample was noted to have a microbacterium
s.p.
> > > > After being sent for identification and culture sensitivity it was
> > reported
> > > > some 5 weeks later as:
> > > > "M. Chelonae Common Environmental saprophyte
> > > > END REPORT."
> > > >
> > > > The patient is HIV negative
> > > > I would like to ask the following
> > > > 1. From this sample can it be said that there is evidence of
> > > > microbacterium infection?
> > > > 2. Was M. Chelonae cultured or was it already present in the
sample?
> > > > 3. Has a TB organism been cultured?
> > > > 4. Is M. Chelonae in this setting a cause of TB?
> > > >
> > > > A very genuine enquiry
> > > >
> > > > --
> > > > auntie_biotic
> > > > http://www.tbandu.co.uk> > >
> > > You would be much better advised to raise these questions with your
health
> > care
> > > provider. After all, *anyone* can post on newsgroups, whether they
know
> > > anything about the topic or not.
> > >
> > >
> > > --
> > > Larry D. Farrell, Ph.D.
> > > Professor of Microbiology
> > > Idaho State University
> > >
> > >
>> At least you have had opinions from people who have knowledge of (1) the
topic,
> (2) your case history, and (3) your clinical/laboratory records. What you
get
> here,
> at the very best, *might* come from people with knowledge of (1) but who
> certainly know nothing of (2) and (3). Trying to second guess your health
care
> providers on the basis of information gleaned in response to a post on a
> newsgroup is very dangerous.
>>> --
> Larry D. Farrell, Ph.D.
> Professor of Microbiology
> Idaho State University
>>
"auntie_biotic" <auntie_biotic at tbandu.co.uk> wrote in message
news:ava7d1$915$1 at newsg1.svr.pol.co.uk...
> From a sputum sample described as "Normal Upper Respiratory tract flora".
> AFB was not seen.
> The sample was cultured for TB
> Declared negative after 4 weeks.
> One month later the same sample was noted to have a microbacterium s.p.
> After being sent for identification and culture sensitivity it was
reported
> some 5 weeks later as:
> "M. Chelonae Common Environmental saprophyte
> END REPORT."
>> The patient is HIV negative
> I would like to ask the following
> 1. From this sample can it be said that there is evidence of
> microbacterium infection?
> 2. Was M. Chelonae cultured or was it already present in the sample?
> 3. Has a TB organism been cultured?
> 4. Is M. Chelonae in this setting a cause of TB?
>> A very genuine enquiry
>> --
> auntie_biotic
>http://www.tbandu.co.uk>>>
