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← Return to Gardening with Bronch and MAC
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Hello, I can see you have been with us on Mayo Connect for a while, and this is your first post - Welcome!
When considering risk in any situation concerning airborne pathogens, unless it is something extremely toxic, the elements to assess are LENGTH of exposure, NEARNESS to the source, and CONCENTRATION of the toxin.
So digging in the dirt, with your face near it, for a relatively long time, exposes you to a higher level of the toxin. Staying in a closed building next to the source, not handling or interacting with the birds, where the airborne contaminant is highly diluted & becoming more so as it travels away from the birds, exposes you to a lower level.
It is a situation that I would be comfortable in - it pretty well describes my long term proximity to the feral chickens where I live. We took one more step to protect ourselves, we bought a well-rated HEPA air filter, sized for our home, and run it full time. One additional advantage - it protects my silly lungs from mold spores, dust mites & other things that inhabit seasonal dwellings, no matter how careful we are.
Do you have MAC or bronchiectasis?
Sue
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Are the filter connected to the furnace or a separate unit?
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Thanks for your response Sue. Now I won’t start feeling paranoid staying with our friends. Yes, I have bronchiectasis and MAC, specifically MAI diagnosed after a CT and bronchoscopy last Oct. The CT was for something else but ended up showing the bronchiectasis. Of course I wonder if I may have other MAC bacteria because I was unaware of the precautions needed to take to prevent further infection other than told to change my shower head by my pulmonologist. However, she did start me on airway clearance (albuterol & 7% saline) but didn’t explain the importance of it other than to get the mucus out which is a difficult concept when you don’t feel like you have any. I have learned many of the things to do or don’t do (and how important airway clearance is now) through support forums and watching webinars. I didn’t cough up sputum until a month ago and then it’s not every time. Otherwise I have no symptoms other than just feeling low energy but not fatigued. I have not agreed to go on the antibiotics yet even though the pulmonologist and ID doctors want me to do so.