Is staph aureus colonisation of the nose really bad?

[KylieBana]

Hey, i could really use some help. I haven't been able to get in to see my doctor. I had a nose swab done 6 weeks ago, that I sent to microbiologydx. It says that I have -staph aureus positive coag-large amount  that is resistant to three types of antibiotics but not methicillin. I also have Klebsiella oxytoca-large amount resistant to one antibiotic. I don't have major sinus symptoms at the moment. Just a bit stuffy and runny at times. Should I be rushing in to get this result treated? I also read that it's natural to have staph and other bacteria in your nose. Other people's lab tests don't show this result so it's not a norm I suppose. Any help or advice would be great. I got these tests done because of persistent fatigue, muscle/joint pain, headaches, dizziness, I have been unwell for over a year.
Thanks!

[mkh9]

Hi and sorry you haven't been feeling well. You can carry Staph in your nose and it can be normal.  It is also often on the skin. But if you get sinus symptoms then you may want to get treated because you also have the gram negative bacteria too. Usually, you don't have the gram negative bacteria in the nose. Klebsiella oxytoca can become resistant to antibiotics as well. That may be what is causing the nose symptoms or sinus headache since there was a high number of it. As for the other symptoms do you have a fever? Any pressure in the sinuses? Any swollen lymph nodes? Any wounds anywhere else? If not I don't think it is a rush to get it done but you have a general feeling of unwellness then you should get it treated. You might see an infectious disease doctor and give that person all your symptoms. They could get a MRI to make sure there isn't anything else going on. But it is probably the sinuses.  As for arthritis you could try a gluten free diet just to see for a few months. This worked for a friend. Have you had your blood sugar checked and is it normal when fasting? You could get some tests done if the gluten free diet doesn't work. But I would be careful about going to a rheumatologist. I personally don't trust them.  I have had two of my friends get mis-diagnosed with lupus. It is the #1 mis-diagnosed disease.   I am just wondering why your muscles /joints ache. Are you on any medications? Also, if you have a high fever ever get a blood culture? They won't do it if you don't have a high fever.
You can get some things done like anti-DNA, ANA, complement,  anti smooth muscle etc. these are all types of tests for autoimmune disease. But a lot of people are positive for ANA. Another thing, have you ever been tested for lyme disease? Where do you live? Have you been walking outdoors etc.
thanks,
mkh9

[KylieBana]

Hey Mkh9- thank you for the reply.
When I had the swab done I had some cuts inside my nose with some sinus discomfort and all that went away for 6 weeks. Now I have a small amount of sinus pressure and a runny nose. My lymph nodes are sore and swollen at the moment too.
I'm wondering whether this amount of bacteria is always in my nose, making me sick or whether I am experiencing an overgrowth of pathogens for a short while. I will look up to find a infectious disease specialist close, I like that idea, but I am too sick to go out for the moment.

I definitely want to get tested for Lyme at some point because I have had many ticks and in my life, and we don't get taught much about the dangers of tick-borne disease in Australia so I didn't pay much attention to them. The legs stayed in me for ages when I didn't pull them out properly. One caused the skin to get really red and hot but I don't remember if it was bullseye or not.  I think it's hard to get tested here in Aus :(
I used to be outside in nature a lot but I am now mostly housebound and quite debilitated.
I have moderate to severe fatigue, muscle, bone and joint pain, headaches, mild fever, swollen sore lymph nodes, sore throats, tinnitus, facial pressure, random numbness, sensitivity to light and sound, laboured breathing with low blood pressure, sometimes a small bit of paralysis in limbs and digestive issues. Gluten increases the pain symptoms and dairy increases the fatigue. My main problem is that all of the symptoms are worsened severely by exercise or even small amounts of physical or mental exertion.
I have been told by doctors that I have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and another family member also has it.
I have had many tests and scans including brain MRI, they show nothing except that I have elevated liver enzymes and the recent nasal swab tested for the bacteria. So it's been a mystery to treat!  I only take paracetamol, magnesium, b2, b12, coq10, vitamin D and zinc.

I'm wondering whether I have a colonisation of bacteria in my nose from having chronic fatigue syndrome which affects the immune system or whether having the bacteria is a cause of the symptoms.

It would be cool if I could get rid of the pathogens and then get better.

I am feeling concerned about having these bacterias in my nose because I don't really know if that staph aureus is dangerous to be sneezing out and around or not. I am sort of worried about making my boyfriend sick with bacteria because he has asthma and I do have a runny nose because I am sensitive to a lot of things.

Thanks for the support mkh9 :)

[mkh9]

Hi,  A lot of people have colonization of bacteria in their nose, mouth and other places and it doesn't mean anything. What does matter is that you have symptoms. The fact that you had cuts in the nose might mean that you got a deeper infection. Do you think the cuts may have been open like exposed to your blood system? I would go by if you have a high fever. If not you probably don't have a systemic blood infection. But You may have a deeper sinus infection or something like since your lymph nodes are swollen. Regarding lyme's disease, you don't always get the typical bulls eye rash. You only get that about 40% of the time. So I would highly recommend getting a lyme tests and the co-infections of lyme done . These things like Ehrlicia, babesia, Bartonella, anaplasma and   other strains of Borrlia that can also cause Lyme:

https://www.lymedisease.org/lyme-basics/co-infections/about-co-infections/

https://igenex.com/

Since it has been a while you could have chronic lyme. I hope not.

I would definitely try a gluten free diet too to see if that helps.

See the infectious disease doctor and see if they will do the lyme and coinfections test. Tell the doctor you were bitten by ticks left them on and never got tested.

You can get a test for the nose but Tell them your symptoms. That should help the Infectious disease doctor overall.

If the staph aureus is not resistant to methicillin (MRSA) I wouldn't worry about sneezing it out.

If you see the infectious disease doctor will do another culture of the nose and show his also the enlarged lyme nodes. Ask these same questions. But if the culture is positive for anything that is worry some to you or to the public he will give you a antibiotic. So try not to worry. I am more concerned about how you are feeling.
mkh9






Igenex

[KylieBana]

Thank you so much mkh9,
This is all very helpful to me.
The cuts in my nose were very open, and there was thick yellow pus on them. A doctor I wasn't familiar with gave me low dose antibiotics which my swab test lists as one of the antibiotics the staph aureus is resistant to. At the time of the deep cuts, It was very uncomfortable, but my nasal passages have been ok since then. Except I have some discomfort at the moment again. My nasal passages are very sensitive and irritated often. An ENT thinks I have undiagnosed allergies that will take a lot of testing. He told me to rinse my nose once daily with a saline nasal douche. I find this helps. Sometimes I wonder whether it's strange to put saline water up my nose everyday but seen as it helps me feel better I just do it.

[mkh9]

If your symptoms are better due to the saline that is great.  But if you still have the other symptoms, fatigue, joint pain, dizziness. You may want to do some of the things I mentioned above. It may or may not be related to the nasal issue. If you have no fever it probably isn't.
mkh9

[KylieBana]

Hey mkh9, I just had a phone call with my new doctor who I have only seen once in person for the swab. He is sending me prescriptions to treat the staph bacteria (not sure what they are but I don't think it's antibiotics) . One is a nasal spray and one is maybe an oral tablet. Maybe these will help me to recover from all the symptoms. He also gave me a slip for a tick-borne disease blood test which I can get done soon. How quick was that!? It will be nice to get this test done. It will test for Bb and other tick related bacteria/pathogens. Thanks so much for your help! It's nice to have sine actions to take :)

[KylieBana]

Hey mkh9, I just had a phone call with my new doctor who I have only seen once in person for the swab. He is sending me prescriptions to treat the staph bacteria (not sure what they are but I don't think it's antibiotics) . One is a nasal spray and one is maybe an oral tablet. Maybe these will help me to recover from all the symptoms. He also gave me a slip for a tick-borne disease blood test which I can get done soon. How quick was that!? It will be nice to get this test done. It will test for Bb and other tick related bacteria/pathogens. Thanks so much for your help! It's nice to have sine actions to take :)

[mkh9]

That is great news. Let me know the results! I was having some trouble seeing your answer with the new changes on here. I guess I'm not used to the new system. Sorry I didn't reply sooner. I hope the treatments help.
regards,
mkh9

[KylieBana]

Hi mkh9, it's been a long time since this last conversation. I had tick borne tests done and I'm still waiting for the Lyme one (borrellia?) to come back. I tested positive for 6 different rickettsia  
R. australis , R. honei ,  R. conorii   , R. africae , R. rickettsii ,   R. felis  and  bartonella hensalae and bartonella quintana .
Going on antibiotics for 5 weeks but not doxycycline because I am allergic to minomycin.
I have been really unwell for a year and a half now so imagine if I get better from taking this treatment! Thank you so much for prompting me to ask my doctor. I think it will be a bit daunting  if I am positive for the Lyme bacteria but I will be referred to an infectious disease specialist for the treatment if I do. Thanks again!