New Bacteria Found - Gordonia Aichiensis - Has Anyone Had this?

God morning @cared, Connect is really an interesting place. Every day we have members bringing new puzzles. Gordonia Aichiensis is the one for today!

I had heard of (and even at one time showed positive for one strain while on the Big 3.) So I did a little reading and learned Gordonia bacteria are related to Mycobacteria, and similarly widespread in our environment. For a long time, it was hard to differentiate between the Gordonia variants, and they weren't thought to cause a lot of primary infection in humans, so they are not nearly as well-studied or understood as Mycobacteria. Most of what I find is limited case reports, there don't seem to be a high enough number of people infected to generate any organized study.

Current protocol seems to be to watch and test, if it increases from one culture to the next, or is symptomatic, to sensitivity test and treat - often with vancomycin or amikacin.

What has your doc said about treatment?
Sue

Thank you for your speedy reply to my concerns.
I agree with you that new puzzles occur each day with a MAC diagnosis and all of us seem to be the “poster children” for it.
I see the infectious disease doctor on Monday. I will let you know his thoughts. This diagnosis was told to me by my Pulmonologist after she read the latest culture results sent to her. He had not informed me of these results. She suggested I get with him for his suggestions. Thus the Monday appointment.
Thank you once again.

My ID doctor confirmed this bacteria after three different cultures over a period of 9 weeks were positive. I also submitted a culture for MAC and it showed a small amount. I was on the big three for 18 months after being diagnosed in 2017. We decided to not treat the MAC findings but Gordonia should be treated. I was prescribed doxycycline and clarithromycin 500. I will take each 2x daily for 4 months and will submit a culture in 2 months to evaluate the treatment. I should also mention I follow a strict schedule of airways cleaning for any phlegm from the MAC, bronchiachtis and now Gardonia. So I’m wondering if anyone has suggestions for taking these two antibiotics? They both are difficult causing nausea, diarrhea, sleep disturbances and overall malaise. Thanks for any suggestions and advice. I too as others have mentioned find this site and community to be extremely helpful.

Hi @cared, I know you'd rather not have this diagnosis, but it is good that your infectious diseases doctor confirmed the diagnosis of Gordonia so that you can get effective treatment. I'm tagging other members like @jammer @extracare808 @sueinmn @tlynng79, who have experience with Gordonia bacteremia.

You might also be interested in reading this related discussion:
- New to Mycobacterium Gordonae HELP needed https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/new-to-mycobacterium-gordonae-help-needed/

When do you start treatment with doxycycline and clarithromycin?

Thank you for your response. I began treatment with the two antibiotics a weeks ago. After a couple of bad starts, I have a new medication schedule along with the things that don’t work. So far the last three days have be free of nausea and it’s effects. Thanks for the links. I look forward to reading more about Gardonia.