Question about antibiotic resistance

DaleB · 09-13-2008, 09:14 PM

maybe a silly question, but my Uro hasn't called me back after 2 attempts...

is it the specific bug that has grown resistant or the person him/herself?

cara_m · 09-13-2008, 09:36 PM

Good question. I would also like to know the answer to that.

hlh · 09-13-2008, 09:41 PM

The bug is resistant. Not you.

For example:

MRSA = methicillin resistant staphlococcus areus

The bacteria "staphlococcus areus" is not killed by the antibiotic methicillin (an antibiotic of the same class as penicillin).

But since the bug is resistant, if YOU are giving the antibiotic for an MRSA infection, you will stay sick.

fishin'guy · 09-13-2008, 09:43 PM

That's right. Been ther 5 times, went septic twice, not a fun feeling.

fishin'guy · 09-13-2008, 11:24 PM

Then there's allergic reaction to antibiotic, Had that, 105.8 temp.

As Adi would say ... ARggggggggh. such a high temp, thats why I can't tink straight or typed wright

DaleB · 09-14-2008, 09:35 AM

thanks guys.

yup...i'm wrestin' a resistant infection, was just wondering if it was the bug or me.

so...if i get rid of this bug, then pick it up again, will the new one also be resistant, since it's a 'new' infection and all the 'old' infection bugs are gone, does the resistance still apply to the new infection?

not sure of that makes any sense...

basically, if i have a resistant e-coli bug (not sure what mine is...don't have the culture papers in front of me) will EVERY e-coli infection i get be resistant from here on out, or does any re-infection from a different source have to re-build it's resistance?

whew...

thanks again...

SCI-Nurse · 09-14-2008, 02:36 PM

HI,

As above, the bacteria is resistant to the antibiotic.

AAD

hlh · 09-14-2008, 06:54 PM

Your questions are very reasonable.

Every time you get a UTI, a new culture should be done. It should be treated as a new infection, possibly a new bug, and treated as such. The culture (ie. soup of growing bugs...) will be tested against a panel of antibiotics to see which ones kill it, and which ones don't. Often you might start treating the UTI with an antibiotic even before the culture results are complete (usually takes 2-4 days), and then once you get the culture results back, your doctor will adjust the antibiotics if the one you are taking may not be the most effective one.

Many of the common names of bacteria that cause urinary tract infections will become familiar to you (E. coli, Proteus, Klebsiella... and if you spend a lot of time in the hospital ... other not so nice bugs like MRSA may creep onto the list). However, there are many "subtypes" (species) of each type of bacteria - and each subtype can have a different response to antibiotics. Just because you have had an infection with an E.coli in the past that was easy to kill (i.e. pan-sensitive to many antibiotics), doesn't mean that the next time you get an E. coli infection it will be the same one.

For example, when my father was still in the hospital after his injury, he got a UTI (Klebsiella) that was highly resistant to some of the powerful antibiotics that we like to use (called an "ESBL" infection), so they moved him to an isolated room to decrease the chance it would spread to other patients. It was easily treated with Bactrim.

A few months later, while in acute rehab, my father got another UTI - again it was a type of Klebsiella, but this one was sensitive to every antibiotic tested. A bug totally unrelated to his first infection. Again, he was given Bactrim. But they only treated him for 1 week with antibiotics... which seemed a little short to me. About two weeks later, he got another UTI! Again, Klebsiella, sensitive to every antibiotic tested. I suspect he never really got rid of the pan-sensitive Klebsiella UTI from 2 weeks prior, and over time it was able grow/re-gain its strength. But I can't prove that.

Hope that helps.

09-13-2008, 09:14 PM	#1
DaleB Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Tidewater, VA Posts: 5,096	Question about antibiotic resistance maybe a silly question, but my Uro hasn't called me back after 2 attempts... is it the specific bug that has grown resistant or the person him/herself? __________________ __________________ He who hears not me but the Logos will say: All is one.

09-14-2008, 09:35 AM	#6
DaleB Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Tidewater, VA Posts: 5,096	thanks guys. yup...i'm wrestin' a resistant infection, was just wondering if it was the bug or me. so...if i get rid of this bug, then pick it up again, will the new one also be resistant, since it's a 'new' infection and all the 'old' infection bugs are gone, does the resistance still apply to the new infection? not sure of that makes any sense... basically, if i have a resistant e-coli bug (not sure what mine is...don't have the culture papers in front of me) will EVERY e-coli infection i get be resistant from here on out, or does any re-infection from a different source have to re-build it's resistance? whew... thanks again... __________________ __________________ He who hears not me but the Logos will say: All is one.

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09-13-2008, 09:36 PM	#2
cara_m Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 671	Good question. I would also like to know the answer to that.

09-13-2008, 09:41 PM	#3
hlh Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: US Posts: 1,038	The bug is resistant. Not you. For example: MRSA = methicillin resistant staphlococcus areus The bacteria "staphlococcus areus" is not killed by the antibiotic methicillin (an antibiotic of the same class as penicillin). But since the bug is resistant, if YOU are giving the antibiotic for an MRSA infection, you will stay sick.

09-13-2008, 09:43 PM	#4
fishin'guy Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Seattle area Wash state Posts: 2,382	That's right. Been ther 5 times, went septic twice, not a fun feeling.

09-13-2008, 11:24 PM	#5
fishin'guy Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Seattle area Wash state Posts: 2,382	Then there's allergic reaction to antibiotic, Had that, 105.8 temp. As Adi would say ... ARggggggggh. such a high temp, thats why I can't tink straight or typed wright

09-14-2008, 02:36 PM	#7
SCI-Nurse Moderator Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: USA Posts: 41,331	HI, As above, the bacteria is resistant to the antibiotic. AAD

09-14-2008, 06:54 PM	#8
hlh Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: US Posts: 1,038	Your questions are very reasonable. Every time you get a UTI, a new culture should be done. It should be treated as a new infection, possibly a new bug, and treated as such. The culture (ie. soup of growing bugs...) will be tested against a panel of antibiotics to see which ones kill it, and which ones don't. Often you might start treating the UTI with an antibiotic even before the culture results are complete (usually takes 2-4 days), and then once you get the culture results back, your doctor will adjust the antibiotics if the one you are taking may not be the most effective one. Many of the common names of bacteria that cause urinary tract infections will become familiar to you (E. coli, Proteus, Klebsiella... and if you spend a lot of time in the hospital ... other not so nice bugs like MRSA may creep onto the list). However, there are many "subtypes" (species) of each type of bacteria - and each subtype can have a different response to antibiotics. Just because you have had an infection with an E.coli in the past that was easy to kill (i.e. pan-sensitive to many antibiotics), doesn't mean that the next time you get an E. coli infection it will be the same one. For example, when my father was still in the hospital after his injury, he got a UTI (Klebsiella) that was highly resistant to some of the powerful antibiotics that we like to use (called an "ESBL" infection), so they moved him to an isolated room to decrease the chance it would spread to other patients. It was easily treated with Bactrim. A few months later, while in acute rehab, my father got another UTI - again it was a type of Klebsiella, but this one was sensitive to every antibiotic tested. A bug totally unrelated to his first infection. Again, he was given Bactrim. But they only treated him for 1 week with antibiotics... which seemed a little short to me. About two weeks later, he got another UTI! Again, Klebsiella, sensitive to every antibiotic tested. I suspect he never really got rid of the pan-sensitive Klebsiella UTI from 2 weeks prior, and over time it was able grow/re-gain its strength. But I can't prove that. Hope that helps.