Forgot your password?
Please enter your username or email address. Instructions for resetting the password will be immediately emailed to you.
Please note: While some information will still be current in a year, other information may already be out of date in three months time. If you are in any doubt, please feel free to ask.
Virulence of ESBL-E. coli
- Question
- One year ago, during a bronchoscopy of my son (13) ESBL (=extendend-spectrum beta-lactamase) (e. coli) have been detected in the lungs. Which specific potentail of danger have these germs, particularly as I do only get few to no information from the center, to which subgroup the specific ESBL-germ of my son belongs to.
The statements of Prof. Tümmlers answer to a former question in this forum concerning an ESBL-positive grand-grandmother let one shiver.
Many thanks and many greetings - Answer
- Hello,
I have to apologize for the late answer. The classification of a certain germ concerning his potential of danger is never very easy. E. coli is a normal germ of the intestinal flora, which turns out to be dangerous in case it is not detected in the bowel but for example in the lung. E. coli has in general nothing to do in the lung and still there are patients in whom the germ can be detected in the airways, who are impaired to a much lesser extend than others with this germ. The detection of ESBL at this germ makes first of all only a difference in the treatment - the betalactam antbiotics withdraw. Also in case of the detection of ESBL-E. coli there are different courses. It is not always possible to conclude the severity of courses from the different subtypes of germs. The detection is also especially important for the hygiene regulations, because it should be avoided to transmit those germs from patient to patient, as they are more difficult to treat.
Yet I circumscribed your question to the danger very indirecty: the danger of a germ depend on itself, on the patient, his immune defence and in addition on the possibility of treatment. More of the same germ can make a greater difference as its resistance. The resistance again can be problematic - especially if one does not assume it or does not know it - and all that can again be relativized with a more or less good immune defence situation of the patient.
The fact that the germ is known for one year already, is an indication that either the germ nor the defence against the germ gained the upper hand.
From afar however, it is not possible to say more.
Best regards,
Prof. Dr. TOF Wagner - 01.08.2011
