Can our kids self reinfect? Aren't they all carriers of sorts?

[sptcmom]

I have been reading and started wondering about something Dr T mentioned a couple times is when strep becomes intracellular like when it lives in the tonsils, mucocoeles, behind the biofilm in the gut etc, its supposed to shed at intervals. I don't know what the shedding triggers are or if it just happens at intervals.Thats when the rapid strep comes up positive for the tonsils and the sinus swabs and stool tests.

Aren't all out kids carriers anyways if they are harboring chronic strep, or Myco or Lyme?

My girlfriend's son is a strong carrier (titers are three times higher than DS!)and he's never symptomatic other than stomachaches. He's the one who repeatedly kept exposing DS thru weekly playdates until we finally had a full blown PANDAS episode. BUT this guy's immune system doesnot produce the autoantibodies that out kids do and so he's fine overall with ABX each time he sheds and becomes symptomatic.

Anyways, so as anyone ever asked their docs about this? I'm seeing Dr Jyonoucci in August and will ask her for sure. How do we know if our kids can self reinfect? I mean we're changing toothbrushes etc so they don't reinfect that way but what about internally? I just don't know. Need to read up more? Has anyone have any info? any thoughts?

I have to ask Dr K as well. I mean we're doing prophylactic dose of abx post IVIG. Will that keep the shedding at bay? I wonder. Or do our kids shed anyways and one would imagine during shedding they do need full strength abx for sure. Maybe thats why the kids getting full strength abx post ivig seem to be doing relatively better than those on prophylactic doses?

Edited July 17, 2010 by sptcmom

[kimballot]

These are such good questions and I do hope you will post when you hear more. I can only tell you that in my experience we saw remission first when my son's tonsils were removed at age 7 and we were able to come off antibiotics for several years. We are seeing remission now that the mucocele has been removed from his sinus, but he is on treatment levels of antibiotics still.

 

I don't think my son has ever been a "carrier" as I do not think he was asymptomatic - I just think his symptoms were PANDAS symptoms as opposed to typical fever and such.

 

We have been lucky to have bacteria in places where it could be removed. I spoke with one Mom who has a son with strep in the gut and that has been very difficult to eradicate.

 

It will be interesting to see what experiences others have had with this.

[peglem]

My daughter's pediatrician thinks this is what was happening w/ my daughter- especially since she was getting strep and exacerbations w/ dental work, when she cut teeth, and with tonsillectomy. It seemed like the strep from the cells was being released whenever there was oral tissue damage. I think we've cleared her carrier state, but have not really taken any chances w/ tested to see if we have.