Saprophytes are simply bacteria that naturally inhabit our skin and mucous membranes; they live alongside us. Unlike pathogenic bacteria, they don't cause disease, so there's no need for treatment or any reason to worry.
What symptoms led you to get a urine culture done? This matters because seeing leukocytes in the urine (leukocyturia) can sometimes just be a sign of contamination—essentially, an improperly collected sample.
m@m@ and Dr. Hrvoje, I've moved your posts over to the hemangioma thread on the Child Health forum, which is where m@m@ originally started the discussion.
I asked about your thyroid hormones because thyroid issues can often go hand-in-hand with menstrual cycle irregularities. However, if your hypothyroidism is being managed effectively with medication, it shouldn't be the primary culprit behind your cycle changes.
I should also mention that these results don't definitively prove you're having anovulatory cycles. Estradiol levels fluctuate quite a bit throughout the day, so judging based on a single snapshot isn't accurate. Plus, during this specific phase of your cycle, estradiol levels are naturally very low anyway. Please don't misunderstand me—this isn't proof that ovulation didn't occur, though it could suggest it missed a beat last cycle. It’s certainly not a certainty.
That’s why I believe you should follow up with your gynecologist as they recommended. Since gynecology isn't my specialty, I wouldn't dream of performing a deep dive into this; please take my interpretation as mere speculation rather than a diagnosis. Your doctor will provide the definitive word.
Anovulatory cycles can lead to reduced fertility and changes to the uterine lining (the endometrium).
Looking at your results, the most notable finding is the low estradiol level. This could suggest that you didn't ovulate during your last cycle, which might be the underlying reason for your irregular periods.
Your LH is slightly low, but the LH to FSH ratio is 1:1. That’s actually a good ratio; when we look for PCOS, we typically watch for a skewed ratio, though an imbalance in ovulation isn't the only indicator of the condition.
You may want to follow up with thyroid hormone testing or any other specific panels your gynecologist recommends to round out the picture.
When someone has negative microscopic results but a positive culture for TBC, they are primarily infectious to those in prolonged close contact.
Visiting such a patient in a hospital generally doesn't necessitate masks or extra precautions; the window of time during a standard visit is simply too brief for transmission to occur.
My previous point—that infectiousness can last several weeks once treatment begins—was a general observation regarding patients presenting with TBC symptoms like coughing or phlegm. I noted that answering questions about contagiousness isn't straightforward because that timeframe fluctuates significantly from one patient to the next depending on various clinical factors. Some stay infectious longer; others much less so. The physician managing your brother’s care is the only one qualified to assess his specific level of risk, so you should rely solely on their professional guidance. We don't have access to your brother's actual medical charts here, and speculating on this forum is clearly a futile exercise.
Ultimately, there shouldn't be cause for alarm, especially since you were already processed and tested by the health authorities as close contacts.
Don't spam the same question across multiple threads or hunt for answers by jumping from topic to topic. If you have a question, post it once and wait for someone to get back to you.
The moderators will delete duplicate posts, leaving only one standing.
vividpilot14 said:I have a question... my brother just got his sputum test results back, but there was a catch. It took three whole weeks for the culture on liquid media to actually show bacterial growth. His initial sputum test came back negative. Given that delay, I'm wondering: is someone whose tests take weeks to turn positive actually less infectious than, say, someone who presents with all the classic symptoms—coughing, weight loss, and an immediate positive sputum result? And how long does one typically need to stay on medication before they officially hit that "negative" status where they aren't a risk to anyone around them? If anyone here is particularly well-versed in TBC matters and could offer some insight, I’d truly appreciate it.🙂
Hello,
Regarding your first question, your intuition is correct. Generally, patients are most infectious when their sputum tests positive under a microscope (the risk to others in the same household can be as high as 50-60% according to CDC data), whereas the risk is significantly lower—around 20%—when only the sputum culture comes back positive.
The second part isn't quite as straightforward to answer, but typically, individuals with active pulmonary tuberculosis stop being contagious a few weeks after starting treatment (medical literature usually suggests about 4 to 6 weeks), though there are always exceptions.
Best regards. 🙂
rustyraven8 said:I’m completely lost here.🤣 It seems like anyone diagnosed with TB is automatically forced into hospital confinement. But we know people can carry this disease for ages without even realizing it because they don't show any distinct symptoms. So how is it that they live perfectly normal lives during that entire incubation period, yet the moment they get a diagnosis, it's an immediate trip to the hospital?🤷
Hello,
Tuberculosis is anything but a harmless disease. Even if the symptoms are vague and a person can "walk around" for a long time without realizing they have TBC, that individual is still contagious to those around them (speaking specifically of pulmonary TBC). Furthermore, TBC treatment is highly complex; it involves a cocktail of multiple medications, some of which can have severe side effects, requiring regular monitoring of the patient. Additionally, strict supervision of medication adherence is vital, as skipping doses or irregular usage can lead to drug-resistant bacteria, which creates a massive problem. These are the primary reasons why initial treatment is often conducted in a hospital setting.
wiredcanyon2 said:That’s not possible. Read the initial post first, then refine your question. Reading lab results is one thing; interpreting them is quite another. Interpretation requires looking at the full clinical picture—medical history, symptoms, etc. In this case, at least state why you had blood drawn and what specific issues led you to see your doctor.
Colleague wiredcanyon2, let's not be so harsh. This post was moved from a child health forum, so the user didn't have a chance to see the original context. 😉
Jose Williams said:Haha, yeah, I get it. Honestly, I can handle the stings, it’s just that my blood pressure spikes a bit when I get nervous. Hopefully, that won't mess with the actual results...
From what I've gathered, they just slap those patches on you and send you home, right? Like, you're stuck wearing them continuously for three days before heading back to have them removed? 🤔 And with the needle testing—do the results show up on the skin immediately, or is there still that same waiting period of a few days?
Charles Howard79, what does it actually feel like when those needles go in? Are they injecting something into the skin, or is it more of a light prick? Does it sting, or is it more like getting blood drawn at a clinic? Also, if you don't mind me asking, you mentioned you had to do this five times. Why wasn't once enough? Was it some error on their end during testing, or did you run into a specific issue that required repeating the whole process?
Standard procedure dictates that results usually aren't posted until the 48 or 72-hour mark.
With the prick test, do the results show up on the skin immediately, or do you still have to wait a few days to see anything?
Expect results roughly 20 minutes after testing.
Does it actually penetrate the skin, or is it more of a light prick? Does it sting, or does it feel more like having blood drawn at a clinic?
A drop of allergen solution hits the skin, followed by a tiny prick from a lancet. It’s more of an annoyance than actual pain. Most kids handle this type of testing without much fuss, so if your doctors recommend a prick test, I wouldn't lose sleep over it.
As for the rest of the inquiries, Charles Howard79 will be handling those. My best to him.
Just a quick clarification regarding the whole "needle pricks" discussion. While patch testing is the gold standard for diagnosing contact allergic dermatitis, it isn't necessarily the end of the road. Depending on the clinical picture, a doctor might still suggest other diagnostics—things like prick testing, blood work, and so on.
Think of the patch test as just one step in the process, not the entire roadmap.
So, you might find that avoiding needles altogether isn't an option. 😢
Regarding antibacterial soaps: they’re far too aggressive. For anyone with sensitive skin, they should be avoided entirely. Overuse—especially if your skin barrier is already compromised—destroys that essential protective layer.
Atopy essentially means a predisposition toward allergic reactions and the onset of inflammatory issues once an allergen makes contact. Your skin is hypersensitive, just as you described.
As for the second part of your question, we first need to determine whether your symptoms stem from non-allergic or allergic contact dermatitis. To figure that out, you should undergo testing—specifically epicutaneous patch testing using a standard allergen series. Think of it like applying medicinal patches to your back. There is a massive list of potential allergens out there, many of which are hidden within everyday products.
As for dietary recommendations, that is something to consider only after we have processed the results.
For an accurate diagnosis, a physician would need to examine your palms during the peak of the flare-ups.
Since you mentioned these symptoms keep recurring, my first thought—though purely speculative given that a digital forum isn't a substitute for a clinical examination—is that you might be dealing with a form of hand eczema.
Such issues often stem from repeated exposure to irritants. Think common household items: soaps, detergents, cleaning supplies, or even just excessive contact with water. Frequent exposure can gradually compromise the skin's protective barrier, a problem particularly common in individuals with atopic tendencies and impaired epidermal function.
Additionally, we should consider chronic allergic contact dermatitis. This typically presents as dry skin, intensified itching, and fissures.
There is also the possibility of chronic hand dermatitis, which in adults sometimes presents with an unclear etiology.
Less commonly, especially in middle-aged men, one might encounter hyperkeratotic dermatitis of the hands.
These are simply the possibilities that crossed my mind; they may not align with your specific situation at all.
In terms of immediate self-care, try wearing cotton gloves while cleaning. Consider switching from liquid soap to a solid bar, and avoid antibacterial varieties. Always dry your hands thoroughly after washing, and within three minutes, apply a generous amount of moisturizing cream or ointment.
Regarding these changes, please consult your primary care physician, who can refer you for further diagnostic testing.
If you can, please provide a bit more detail. Has the scalp texture changed—any redness or flaking involved? Are you dealing with dandruff? Also, let me know if you're struggling with excessive oiliness or if your scalp and face feel particularly dry.
Just a quick heads-up: we have a dedicated thread for Insights on the American healthcare system. Please keep this space focused on exercise-related headaches. 😉
Could you please elaborate on the specific issues you're facing? I need a bit more detail to ensure this inquiry ends up in the right category. When you mention "chronic facial inflammation," what exactly does that look like for you? Are we talking about acne, seborrheic dermatitis, or perhaps something else entirely? What was the actual diagnosis from your dermatologist?
There isn't enough data here to draw any definitive conclusions. Finding staph in a gastric aspirate can sometimes just indicate colonization—essentially the bacteria moving in without actually causing an infection—which is quite common in newborns.
Since the baby is currently hospitalized, you can expect them to receive the highest standard of care available.
Wishing the best for the little one, for your colleague, and for you as well.
If someone in your household has tested positive for TB, epidemiological protocols are triggered under the Communicable Disease Act. The process begins by assessing your level of exposure to the individual with confirmed pulmonary TB. Following that, the required follow-up includes a medical evaluation consisting of a PPD2 test (an intradermal tuberculin injection in the forearm, read after 72 hours), a chest X-ray, standard lab work, and three consecutive days of morning sputum samples.
An epidemiologist from the County Department of Public Health overseeing the case will coordinate your testing. They will provide the necessary referral, and there is no out-of-pocket cost or co-pay involved.
First off, it’s worth noting that a TIA can manifest as syncope—a brief loss of consciousness. This is a common pattern seen in older men dealing with heart disease and hypertension.
It is also entirely possible for a TIA to go completely unnoticed. Diagnosing one is primarily a clinical process; it relies on the specific details of the episode and a thorough physical examination.
The goal of any diagnostic workup is to pinpoint the underlying cause of the TIA so that targeted treatment can be applied.
From what you’ve described, it sounds like the standard battery of tests has been completed—blood work, an EEG, likely carotid and vertebral artery ultrasounds, and perhaps even a TCD.
Based on those results, there don't seem to be any clear indicators—such as atherosclerotic changes in the arteries or hematological issues—that would suggest the patient's symptoms are being driven by a TIA.
That leaves us with the question of what is actually causing these issues. It is quite possible that we are looking at problems originating from the cervical spine.
In short, based on the evidence provided, the symptoms described do not appear to align with a TIA.