Heamiphillius influenza

[barst1950]

Hi just wondering if anyone as ever heard of this disease, The consultant says it is quite common in copd. My husband was first found to have this bug last November. After numerous antibiotics and a 6 day hospital stay on iv,we have been told he as colonised this bug. Ct scan clear bronchostomy clear. Awaiting barium swallow due to pooling in throat.

[O2Trees]

It's one of the common bugs that cause our chest infections barst. Most people would have some measure of the bug but a normal immune system would deal with it without it being much of a problem. I wouldn't have called it a disease though

[Hidden in reply to O2Trees]

I was found to have low antibodies for this, and pneumococcus. I had to have booster jabs for both on Monday so hope they work. Have enough with Pseudomonas!!

[O2Trees in reply to Hidden]

Horrid poems. Sorry you have to deal with this.

[O2Trees]

What does gram-negative and gram-positive mean flib? cheers,

[Hidden in reply to O2Trees]

Ha, I was counting on noone asking me that! It's terribly complicated & the actual science is mostly over my head. All I know is, the two types have different cell wall structures, ie the gram-neg types have an additional outer membrane, which makes it much harder for antibiotics to penetrate & gives them the potential to form biofilms & colonise the lungs. Also if you don't have a long enough course of abs at a therapeutic strength (a common mistake with GPs), it's more likely that the toughest bugs won't be eradicated, so resistance is more likely.

Luckily the most common bugs are gram-pos eg strep pneumoniae and sensitive to things like amoxicillin. Gram-negs are more likely to need IVs.

Someone with a science background might know more/explain it better x

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

I just found this online, but I won't post the link cos it contains lots of pop-ups:

"It is difficult to treat gram-negative bacteria in comparison to gram-positive bacteria due to following reasons.

1. There is a membrane present around the cell wall of gram-negative bacteria which increases the risk of toxicity to the host, but this membrane is absent in gram-positive bacteria.

2. Porin channels are present in gram-negative bacteria which can prevent the entry of harmful chemicals and antibiotics like penicillin. These channels can also expel out antibiotics making much more difficult to treat in comparison to gram-positive bacteria.

3. The risk of resistance against antibiotics is more in gram-negative bacteria due to the presence of external covering around the cell wall.

4. Gram-negative bacteria possess both exotoxins and endotoxins but in case of gram-positive bacteria there are only exotoxins."

More or less what I said, right? xxx

[O2Trees in reply to Hidden]

Yup, pretty damn good go to the top of the class flib.

[Azure_Sky]

My daughter has it in her lungs and it is proving very hard to treat. She said what she has is the meningitis B bug. At first, they said it was Heamiphiflu. She has had asthma for years. When she had tests at the hospital they said she had the lungs of a 65 year old. She is 42!

[Hidden]

Hi Barst i have colonised H.I. and take a daily dose of Doxy, which seems to keep me well most of the time. Take care Xx

[cofdrop-UK]

Hi barst

Haemophilus Influenzae (HI) isn't a disease hun. As flib says it is a gram negative bacteria and is a b***** to shift.

I am colonised with HI and have been for some time. Although HI is my resident squater I do also get strep pnuemoniai and sometimes at the same time and occasionally moraxella. As I go less than a week in general after completing high dose lengthy antibiotics, I am presently nebulising Tobramycin 28 days on and 28 days off.

Just wondering if your dh has been prescribed a prophelactic antibiotic i.e. one that is not used as a treatment but used to help prevent a flare up. Many 'lung' folks take Azithromycin 1 three times a week or 1 daily. They help reduce inflammation and i believe assist in breaking down the biofilms (I am hoping flib will confirm this or someone else in the know). Anyway they seem to do a good job for lots of folks. Sadly I cannot take them.

Do you always take in a sample at the start of an infection?

6 days on IVs doesn't seem long or did they continue them at home? Not sure re copd as I have broncbiectasis and they would always treat with 14 days.

It might be an idea to ask GP/consultant about being assessed for nebulised antibiotics.

Not sure if your dh has seen a respiratory physio, but might be discussing if he hasn't.

Good luck and let us know how your dh gets on.

love cx

[barst1950]

Hi . Sorry for calling it a disease. Alan is under community respitary nurses. If he becomes ill, I ring them and they are straight out. They are marvellous. He cant take take the 3 a week antibiotics because he as a stent fitted and the consultant said he was not suitable. I will mention the nebulised antibiotics to the nurses. More worried about the pooling in the back of the throat, hopefully the barium swallow will sort that out.Thanks for your time in replying. Take care,xxx

[hallentine47]

I caught it on a ship over a year ago. It was in the Air Con so we think. I have suffered ever since and still suffering after scans and failed nebuliser procedures to clear the mucus which houses it. I see the consultant tomorrow again. It goes on and and on and on. In the mean time I have lost a lot of weight and become very weak and my breathing more difficult despite being on PR and doing everything suggested and following a strict diet along with all the meds and inhalers. Hope your husband gets rid of it soon.

[barst1950]

Hi he is currently on a course of ciproflaxin due to another flare up. Consultant says he will always have this bug as it is colonised. They will treat it each time when it makes him unwell.Take care.