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Mycobacterium Avium in Shower heads?

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Posted 9/23/2009 5:48 AM (GMT 0)
10326.1 
Yikes!

This is really concerning for those of us on immunosuppressants.  It was on MSNBC. Mycobacterium avium is found in soil and can be gotten "from the dirt under your finger nails" from gardening, etc. It shows up as a positive on a TB skin test and behaves like TB.  It is treated like TB, with isoniazid or other antiTB drugs. Actually, they think I probably had this, mycobacterium avium.

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/32845180/ns/health-infectious_diseases/

I have well water and wonder if it is safe. uv sterilization, reverse osmosis,and possibly other filtration methods, maybe an iron filter or other type might be effective, not sure.

Posted 9/25/2009 2:20 AM (GMT 0)
If this is such a big deal all of us who take showers should have died decades ago.

There are bacteria everywhere .....this is another media hype.

Bill

Posted 9/25/2009 4:23 AM (GMT 0)
Not really, Bill. For severely immunosuppressed people, it can really be a problem, like transplant patients and people on chemotherapy. TB (mycobacterium tuberculosis)and mycobacterium avium are reaching epidemic proportions. I can tell you first hand that having a mycobacterium infection is not fun at all nor is the treatment for it. I guess you could say the same thing about Lyme disease, but that doesn't really help the people going blind from it. I think its good to know about this stuff and I'm happy to switch to a metal shower head if it will help. Many heavily immunosuppressed people who are very concerned about it, which is how I found out about it.
BTW check out this from the NIH:

"Mycobacterial infections are known to induce the development of autoantibodies and a few of these antibodies are also known to be diagnostic markers for some other diseases and it is uncertain whether these autoantibodies play a role in the pathogenesis of autoimmune disorders. This study was undertaken to determine the prevalence of autoantibodies like anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA), anti-nuclear antibodies (ANA), anti-double stranded antibodies (anti-dsDNA) and anti-histone antibodies (AHA)in pulmonary Tuberculosis. "
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15286419

So I guess the NIH are taking mycobacterium pretty seriously. Just think, lupus from your shower head?
Posted 9/25/2009 6:05 AM (GMT 0)
Here's a few more:
Mycobacterium avium awareness site:
http://www.crohns.org/

"Conclusion. The results show an opposite association of TNF polymorphism with autoimmunity and TB, and suggest the existence of heterozygote advantage, sustaining the hypothesis that autoimmune diseases are a consequence of natural selection for enhanced TB resistance. Data also provide genetic evidence supporting the common variants/multiple disease hypothesis, which emphasizes that many disease genes may not be disease-specific, and that similar immunogenetic mechanisms underlie autoimmune diseases. (J Rheumatol 2005;32:219-24) "
http://www.jrheum.com/abstracts/abstracts05/219.html
"Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection precipitates SLE in patients from endemic areas "
http://www.mdlinx.com/rheumatologylinx/news-article.cfm/2677691

"TB and SLE might share a common immunogenetic pathway "
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18417424

Increased risk of TB/mycobacterium infections:
"Osteoarticular tuberculosis in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus."
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19246552
"Infections such as TB, meningococcus, staphylococcus, and streptococcus are common in SLE. Lastly, opportunistic infections (they occur in patients being treated with high doses of steroids or immunosuppressive medications, by pathogens that are not normally harmful), can mimic lupus and need to be excluded when considering a diagnosis of CNS lupus. "
http://www.lupusinternational.com/resources/brochures_09.aspx

Flatout mycobacterium avium as possible cause of Crohn's disease:
"In the summer of 1998, PARA began a series of pleas to the NIH/NIAID, to investigate the relationship between Crohn's disease and the bacterium known as Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis(MAP). The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) of the NIH took the decisive lead in this matter and moved swiftly forward with the initiative to thoroughly research PARA's concerns. In October 1998, the NIAID stated to PARA its intent to host a formal workshop to further explore these concerns. On December 14, 1998, the NIAID hosted a groundbreaking workshop bringing together top researchers from all over the United States and the world to discuss a potential infectious etiology of Crohn's disease and to devise new research approaches to address this critical concern. " Clinical trials using TB drugs as treatment for Crohns are being discussed.
http://www.crohns.org/governments/nih.htm

"Health Impacts of Environmental Mycobacteria"
http://cmr.asm.org/cgi/content/full/17/1/98

Mycobacterium may be the cause of not only sarcoidosis and Crohn's but many other autoimmune diseases. Certainly, an infection can only make us sicker.
Posted 9/25/2009 12:35 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you so much for the added info. Been trying to get my husband to take mold situation more seriuosly.( live in Fla. with wildlife preserve about 15 steps away),plus bad plumbing problems lately,with overflow onto carpet. Ent thinks this could be cause of massive sinus bacterial/fungal infection.Will tear carpet out with bare hands if have to.(won't hear from me for a while if I try that!),Landlord says normal wear and tear,don't think so. will diffuse thieves oil and steam with thieves in cleaner.Thanks for this info,it it so valuable for all of us. God Bless, Namaste,Raven1954
Posted 9/25/2009 5:28 PM (GMT 0)
Namaste
Posted 9/26/2009 1:20 PM (GMT 0)
wow! scarey stuff. i am going into denial now..... thank God for research, though.
suetoo
Posted 9/26/2009 7:03 PM (GMT 0)
If there is a disease origin, as with lymes, then maybe a cure for some people is around the corner! My treatment helped me but was not adequate to kill extrapulmonary TB, helped my gi tract in some ways though. And improved my skin some.
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