Are Mycoplasma pneumonia infections and molds/cigarettes related?

[Boule de feu]

How many of you had a mycoplasma pneumonia infection and ended up very sensitive to black molds or to cigarettes?

I am trying to figure out if this type of infection can lead up to lungs hypersensitivity.
Is it possible that they are related?

I can't find anything on the subject. Could anyone help me on this?
How can I direct my search?

 

[Boule de feu]

I found this but it does not tell us if the bronchial hypersensitivity lasts forever.

http://pmj.bmj.com/content/83/976/100.abstract

"The role of immunoglobulin E-related hypersensitivity and induction of T helper type 2 immune response leading to inflammatory response in M pneumoniae-infected patients with asthma have also been proposed."

 

[Boule de feu]

And here it says that asthma can predispose the lungs for the colonization of M. pneumonia.

http://www.jimmunol.org/content/177/3/1786.full

But, my problem is the other way around. I had no problem whatsoever with molds and cigarettes (I used to hang out in discothques! all the time - boy I'm old! ) before getting sick with M.pneumonia. Now, I can't be near someone who smokes (or any type of smoke) and I had an episode of very severe pneumonia from the black molds found in our old appartment.

 

[Boule de feu]

M. pneumoniae does lead to chronic pulmonary inflammation

"The aim of the present study was to determine whether chronic M. pneumoniae pulmonary infection could be established in mice and to characterize its course. Our investigations demonstrated that M. pneumoniae can establish a chronic pulmonary infection for up to approximately 18 months after inoculation and revealed evidence that M. pneumoniae infection in the respiratory tract can lead to chronic pulmonary inflammation and long-term functional sequelae."

I wonder if it could be longer. Could the chronic pulmonary inflammation lasts a lifetime?

And can we detect this?
My X-rays show nothing but I have chronic inflammation of the lungs.

VERY INTERESTING!

"M. pneumoniae respiratory infection is often regarded as a self-limited infection, and the resolution of acute infection within a few weeks without treatment, as shown in our model of acute infection, partly supports this concept. However, a subset of individuals may handle this infection in a less favorable manner and later develop chronic pulmonary abnormalities. Indeed, recent investigations have suggested that timely and effective antimicrobial treatment of acute M. pneumoniae respiratory infection in children can improve the course of reactive airway disease beyond the acute episode of wheezing and can prevent development of deleterious changes in pulmonary function tests (14; S. Esposito, F. Blasi, C. Arosio, et al., Abstr. 39th Intersci. Conf. Antimicrob. Agents Chemother., abstr. 2234, p. 700, 1999). With the findings of chronic infection, inflammation, and functional sequelae in this model, evaluation of effective therapeutic regimens to modulate inflammation and to eradicate M. pneumoniae has more relevance.
In conclusion, we have documented that M. pneumoniae is able to establish chronic respiratory infection, evoke chronic pulmonary inflammation, and elicit chronic pulmonary function abnormalities in mice. These findings provide strong evidence supporting the postulated association between M. pneumoniae infection and chronic pulmonary disease, possibly asthma, in humans. Future studies directed at characterizing the immunopathogenic mechanisms responsible for these abnormalities will provide the basis for novel therapeutic and preventative strategies aimed at reducing the potential impact of M. pneumoniae infections."

I wonder if I could start taking azythromycine? And for how long?
I have a chronic sore throat and earaches.
I'm already dealing with severe IBS problems...

 

[Boule de feu]

Too bad I can't have access to this article:
http://www.cgfr.co.uk/article/S1359-6101(04)00002-4/abstract

"Although the mechanisms of M. pneumoniae pathogenesis remain to be elucidated, one important component of M. pneumoniae infections is the induction of proinflammatory and other cytokines in both acute and chronic conditions. In this review, we survey the induction of cytokines by M. pneumoniae in different model systems, and we discuss the possible role of induced cytokines in M. pneumoniae pathogenesis."

 

[Boule de feu]

Besides asthma, which disease is related to chronic pulmonary inflammation?

 

[justy]

Hi Boule De feu, i had pneumonia (not sure what type) after having measles 3 years ago and it caused my serious relapse, this is the 3rd time in my life i have had pneumonia. Mine became chronic and i ended up with a severe lung infection for bout 11 months and had approx 14 courses of antibiotics (that really screwed up my gut and gave me severe systemic candida)
There are other diseases that will lead to chronic pulmonary inflammation (im like you i cant go near someone smoking anymore and i used to be a smoker!) Some of them include Bronchiolitis, bronchitis(chronic) Bronchiectisis, sarcoidosis, emphysema and m,any many others.
My latest CT scan shows a fibrotic band in my left lung which the consultant says is just an anomaly that i must have been born with! HUH!!??? is he kidding? i know it is inflammation because whenever the pain in my left side comes back i start to wheeze and cant breathe and need to up my steroid inhalor, how is it that these consultants can claim to know more bout my body than i?
He told me to go away and forget about it, the pain was just the band gently pulling on my lung?!! strange then that when it flares up the only thing that makes it go away is a course of antibiotics and or steroids from my GP. (the steroids have messed with my health big time too -but thats another story)

 

[Boule de feu]

Hi Boule De feu, i had pneumonia (not sure what type) after having measles 3 years ago and it caused my serious relapse, this is the 3rd time in my life i have had pneumonia. Mine became chronic and i ended up with a severe lung infection for bout 11 months and had approx 14 courses of antibiotics (that really screwed up my gut and gave me severe systemic candida)
There are other diseases that will lead to chronic pulmonary inflammation (im like you i cant go near someone smoking anymore and i used to be a smoker!) Some of them include Bronchiolitis, bronchitis(chronic) Bronchiectisis, sarcoidosis, emphysema and m,any many others.
My latest CT scan shows a fibrotic band in my left lung which the consultant says is just an anomaly that i must have been born with! HUH!!??? is he kidding? i know it is inflammation because whenever the pain in my left side comes back i start to wheeze and cant breathe and need to up my steroid inhalor, how is it that these consultants can claim to know more bout my body than i?
He told me to go away and forget about it, the pain was just the band gently pulling on my lung?!! strange then that when it flares up the only thing that makes it go away is a course of antibiotics and or steroids from my GP. (the steroids have messed with my health big time too -but thats another story)

You sound worse than me. I don't get it all the time. Only when I'm very sick or too exhausted to function.
I get the shortness of breath when climbing the stairs. I can't exercise.

When doctors don't know what is going on, they (most of them!) won't tell you that they haven't the faintest idea of what is going on with you. But, we know better.

 

[Boule de feu]

Hypersensitivity pneumonitis

This is fascinating stuff and it sounds just like me:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001168/


The treatment is glucocorticoids (powerful anti-inflammatory medicines). I could give this a try instead of the antibiotics. How long would it take before noticing any changes?

My doc could not give me this diagnosis. I don't have what it takes.=-(

Can you think of anything else that would act the same as this?

 

[justy]

Hi, im lucky that i have got my lungs under control now, but for me that involved NOT taking steroids anymore. Glucocorticoids are powerful steroid drugs that can seriously disrupt the bodies immune and endocrine systems - they disrupted mine very severely and left me open to repeted infections.
I have also wondered if mine started with a type of farmers lung as well as the measles s i worked as a gardener for a few years in a very very dmp environment ( i live in wales and it is cold and never stops raining!)

For me i think its not lways possible to get a proper diagnosis -infact ive given up expecting one anymore. I did my own research i discovered they had left me on very high steroid dosage and forgotten about me -i weaned my self off -now i just have to use a small dose of steroid inhalor which is ok. I also saw a medical herbalist who prescribed nti inflammatory herbs as well as immune stimulating ones and specific herbs for building the strength in my lungs. Now my lungs are much better and last winter i had flu withpout getting lung infection which was really amazing news for me. If i was well enough i would swim as well to increase lung function nd capacity but im not well enough to d o that right now.
I hope you find some answers and get the help you need.

 

[Marco]

Hi BDF

Have you looked into the role of oxidative stress and antioxidants in COPD and other inflammatory lung diseases as similar patterns are seen as in ME/CFS :

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16458359

This is 'only' a PHD thesis but reports on a small scale trial of antioxidants reducing the time patients needed to spend being artificially ventilated in hospital setting :

http://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q...tFhOyR&sig=AHIEtbRAVyZiA64WsnCrlbXuxDA0YV7nvQ

 

[Boule de feu]

Hi, im lucky that i have got my lungs under control now, but for me that involved NOT taking steroids anymore. Glucocorticoids are powerful steroid drugs that can seriously disrupt the bodies immune and endocrine systems - they disrupted mine very severely and left me open to repeted infections.
I have also wondered if mine started with a type of farmers lung as well as the measles s i worked as a gardener for a few years in a very very dmp environment ( i live in wales and it is cold and never stops raining!)

For me i think its not lways possible to get a proper diagnosis -infact ive given up expecting one anymore. I did my own research i discovered they had left me on very high steroid dosage and forgotten about me -i weaned my self off -now i just have to use a small dose of steroid inhalor which is ok. I also saw a medical herbalist who prescribed nti inflammatory herbs as well as immune stimulating ones and specific herbs for building the strength in my lungs. Now my lungs are much better and last winter i had flu withpout getting lung infection which was really amazing news for me. If i was well enough i would swim as well to increase lung function nd capacity but im not well enough to d o that right now.
I hope you find some answers and get the help you need.

So, knowing everything you know now, you would not recommend taking glucocorticoids for this?

I don't know how you can manage with the humid weather. When it's raining here, I'm in lot of pain. =-(

 

[Boule de feu]

Hi BDF

Have you looked into the role of oxidative stress and antioxidants in COPD and other inflammatory lung diseases as similar patterns are seen as in ME/CFS :

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16458359

This is 'only' a PHD thesis but reports on a small scale trial of antioxidants reducing the time patients needed to spend being artificially ventilated in hospital setting :

http://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q...tFhOyR&sig=AHIEtbRAVyZiA64WsnCrlbXuxDA0YV7nvQ

Thank you, Marco. I will have a look.
My next GP appointment is on June 7 and I would like to make some suggestions...
I feel I'm going nowhere. The inflammation has been an on-going problem for the last
five years + and it feels that we are not doing anything.
I feel the urge to do something about it.

 

[Boule de feu]

I found this on systemic inflammation:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Systemic_inflammation

"Individuals susceptible to developing chronic systemic inflammation appear to lack proper functioning of Treg cells and TDCs. In these individuals, a lack of control of inflammatory processes results in multiple chemical and food intolerances, autoimmune diseases and many other symptoms and diseases."

 

[justy]

I think i would recommend steroids for nyone in a very acute situation -i obviously needed them for while but not for as long as i took them. They will supress your immune system and your bodies own ability to make steroids to dampen inflammation. I think Marco has some very sensible ideas. I have a problem with my antioxidants -some are very low and i lso have a blockage on the SODase gene so i take ntioxidants all the time to counteract this, lso as i said herbs can help enormously nd also magnesium which is good for asthma so i presume good for other lung problems. I have to stay away from smoky/moldy/perfumy environments as this triggers inflammation but now my body can handle it and i dont get very ill from it.
My all round approach to treating my M.E has been to take a very holistic pproach and encourage my body to be as healthy as it can be through diet supplements, mediation etc. I know its not a route that everyones comfortable with but until there is a better treatment it has helped me to stay in better shape than i would have been.

As a side note XMRV is supposed to be susceptible to steroids and whilst i dont know my status i wouldnt take them again unless my life literally depended on it. (sorry thats not very scientific, someone else can hopefully expand on that!)

 

[mellster]

I'd be wary of steroids, esp. for long-term use (they suppress the immune function). Some have success with herbs/supplements targeting airflow - if the inflammatory reaction comes with mucus guafenesin could be of help - but it's always best to consult with a knowledgable doctor who is into supplements and diet (hard to find unfortunately).

 

[Francelle]

I had a cigarette sensitivity for years preceeding M.E. but as to mould sensitivity, I wouldn't know - as I do not have that in my environment!

Three years after the onset of Mycoplasma Pneumoniae infection in 2005 (with 2 hospitalisations and numerous I.V & oral antibiotics) I was diagnosed with Bronchiectasis of both lungs. Longterm Azithromycin finally helped clear my lungs, altho' Bronchiectasis is permanent, I am still testing positive for systemic Myco. Pn. after 5+ years.

 

[justy]

I have had a cigarette sensitivity for years preceeding M.E. As to Mould sensitivity, I wouldn't know - as I do not have that in my environment!

Three years after the onset of Mycoplasma Pneumoniae infection in 2005 (with 2 hospitalisations and numerous I.V & oral antibiotics) I was diagnosed with Bronchiectasis of both lungs. Longterm Azithromycin finally helped clear my lungs, (altho' Bronchiectasis is permanent), I am still testing positive for systemic Myco. Pn. after 5+ years.

Hi Francelle, so sorry to hear you have been through all of this, i had no idea that so many other PWME had such serious lung problems. Having lung disorders really is a horrible thing to deal with and for me also set up a lot of fear and anxiety. Months and months of sleeping sitting up was truly horrible and i still get scared thinking about it now. I wonder why our bodies do not clear the infection for months or years, even with antibiotics?
I have also just found out that my ex partner who is the father of my eldest two children has COPD - he is only 40 and very fit and active. We lived together when i was first ill with M.E, living in a series of moldy houses 17 years ago, We were very young and could only afford substandard accomodation.
All the best to you, take care, Justyx

 

[Francelle]

Sorry Justy to hear of your ex-partner's COPD. Did he have other possible causative factors other than damp, mouldy houses?

I can identify with the element of fear that one can experience during a severe exacerbation of lung infection, particularly wondering if it would ever get any better. I remember feeling that my future was rolling out in front of me with no hope of improvement. For me it was a dreadful time!

Fortunately I havent had even one chest infection since I finished the Azithromycin in 2009, so it is a great relief to be free of the incessant coughing and other accompanying & distressing symptoms.

 

[justy]

Hi Francelle, im so glad to hear that -yes ive been free of lung flare ups for a long while now -what a blessed relief that is!