Dear Smile E.,
How often should your doctor do a culture and why?
Signed,
A Tissue Box a Day Habit
Dear A Tissue Box a Day Habit,
According to the PCD Foundation’s Consensus Statement, surveillance cultures of expectorated sputum are recommended two to four times annually for patients with PCD. These recommended cultures should be processed in the same manner as cystic fibrosis cultures. These cultures will help guide antibiotic therapy for future exacerbations. Additionally when the PCD patient’s infections aren’t responding to antibiotics that the infections are susceptible to then doctors should consider following up with NTM and fungal cultures, allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis testing, and bronchoscopy with lavage fluid cultures.
Surveillance cultures allow your doctor to track your overall lung ecosystem. This is important when deciding what tests to preform when you show signs of illness. It gives your doctor a starting ground to go off of. These cultures also help the doctor to decide what antibiotic therapy you might benefit from during an exacerbation. Knowing what organisms/ bacteria your lungs, sinuses, and or ears grow is an important part of managing your PCD.
Yours Truly,
Smile E. Turtle
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