![]() ![]() Treatments for patients with CF have come a long way, and patients with CF can expect to live a full life with the correct treatment, he says.The clinic has a steady number of patients, which is increasing. Flume partnered with a colleague working in infectious diseases to establish a clinic to see patients who may have NTM disease.Patients with CF suffer from chronic airway infections, caused by a multitude of bacteria including mycobacteria. ![]() Flume’s work with NTM started with his work on cystic fibrosis (CF).People with a persistent cough that’s not getting better through standard therapies can be tested for NTM through CT scans and sputum culture tests.A coordinated team of clinicians and practitioners at MUSC Health help NTM patients navigate their treatment, which can be very specific from patient to patient. Patients suffering from a persistent cough and fatigue for long periods of time are being scanned for NTM more often now than before.When it comes to treatment, Flume says sometimes a year-long course of antibiotics will eradicate the infection, but doctors take a cautious approach to treatment because the correct course is not always clear.In general, he says mycobacteria prefer wet environments, with an abundance of warm water.For those who garden, wetting the soil before tending or wearing a mask is recommended. For those at risk, Flume suggests avoiding exposure to mycobacteria by limiting the aerosolization of this bacteria by taking baths instead of showers, since the bacteria tends to live on shower heads.Women who are post-menopausal are more at risk for NTM disease as well, he says. Patients who tend to develop NTM disease from the bacteria include patients with bronchiectasis or abnormal airways, cystic fibrosis (CF), COPD, and the immunocompromised.Flume says everyone is at risk of being exposed to this bacteria. Mycobacteria, the bacteria that causes NTM disease, is a group of organisms that live in the water and soil.I think we're finding that patients are being at least suspected of having NTM a lot earlier than in the past, which is a good thing. Radiologists are starting to call features on the CT scans that look like NTM. But now, I think that there's greater awareness that clinicians are looking for it. “Early on in our clinic, the referrals that we would get typically were people with established disease who just weren't getting better or having complications related to their infection. ![]()
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