1. < MAC & Bronchiectasis

NTM and Hawaii

Posted by @ling @wangling, Jul 6, 2023

Hi all,
I love Hawaii and I feel that is where I belong ......
As Scoop suggested that I contact the Hawaii health center to find out more info related to Hawaii and NTM. I have contacted Dr. Jennifer Honda, who in 2020 at the time, worked at National Jewish Health (NJH), hosted the Hawaiʻi NTM Education and Research Conference to help educate and spread awareness of NTM. Now she works at The University of Texas at Tyler Health Science Center. She is the director of Honda Laboratory, its overarching mission is to understand the biology of nontuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) pulmonary disease.

Here is her response ---
Dear Ling,
Thanks for reaching out.

Report after report suggests Hawaii is a hot spot for NTM. This is the most recent -

Incidence of Nontuberculous Mycobacterial Pulmonary Infection, by Ethnic Group, Hawaii, USA, 2005-2019 - PubMed (nih.gov)

Out of all the islands from which we collected environmental samples, Maui was the island with the lowest recovery of NTM, but this could have been due to the fact that it also had the smallest sampling size.

Until we have more information, Dr. Falkinham’s report is still gold standard.

I would also add to please maintain a healthy weight and healthy diet.

Students in Hawaii are helping me test whether environmental interventions, such as a showerhead filter and using a Dehumidifier in bathrooms, may reduce NTM exposures in Hawaii.

More to come on those studies……
Please stay healthy!

My best regards,

Jenn

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the MAC & Bronchiectasis Support Group.

hauoli | @halford | Jul 8, 2023

I Ling,
Hawaii does have Bronchiectasis/MAC but so does a lot of the rest of the country. And I bet MAC is in a lot of shower heads being water sits there. But I wouldn't be afraid of coming to Hawaii. Like I mentioned I always request hot water instead of cold water or bottled water. And if Im close to the soil, mask. I dont seem to have gotten worse. Seem the same for sometime and am due for an MRI and sputum that will indicate my condition. I realize that I have to live with this and am conscience of sputum discharge. Like my ID doctor said, get the sputum out.
I have lived in NYC, SF and LA and I would say with the tradewinds that we get most of the time and the wonderful ocean surrounding us and a mild climate, we are a healthy clean state. Do come and enjoy Hawaii. Hal

REPLY
1 reply
christielynn | @christielynn | Jul 9, 2023
In reply to @scoop "If you think of air as a solution, it's dilute with mostly nitrogen, oxygen and small..." + (show)
@scoop

If you think of air as a solution, it's dilute with mostly nitrogen, oxygen and small amount of carbon dioxide. Enter NTM type bacteria, from warm/hot shower via a home water heater. The experts say to dilute the bathroom air by opening a window, door, running an exhaust fan, reducing temp of water etc to decrease exposure to possible NTM. In other words, the air "solution" becomes more dilute. So, isn't that the same for the outdoors, one big dilute solution? (Assuming one doesn't stand over the steam coming off the landscape, breathe in over a bag of potting soil or dig in the bog etc?

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My experience in East Hawaii with humidity levels sometimes at 99% was the air was more like soup, there was no escaping breathing the moisture. It felt healthy at the time. Dr. Honda’s focus on volcanic emissions is interesting too, as our place was 12 miles from volcanic activity. Our household water was collected from rainwater, the norm for the area. I’m looking forward to more science on geology and NTM with a map for us non geologists.

REPLY
1 reply
@ling | @wangling | Jul 9, 2023
In reply to @halford "I Ling, Hawaii does have Bronchiectasis/MAC but so does a lot of the rest of the..." + (show)
@halford

I Ling,
Hawaii does have Bronchiectasis/MAC but so does a lot of the rest of the country. And I bet MAC is in a lot of shower heads being water sits there. But I wouldn't be afraid of coming to Hawaii. Like I mentioned I always request hot water instead of cold water or bottled water. And if Im close to the soil, mask. I dont seem to have gotten worse. Seem the same for sometime and am due for an MRI and sputum that will indicate my condition. I realize that I have to live with this and am conscience of sputum discharge. Like my ID doctor said, get the sputum out.
I have lived in NYC, SF and LA and I would say with the tradewinds that we get most of the time and the wonderful ocean surrounding us and a mild climate, we are a healthy clean state. Do come and enjoy Hawaii. Hal

Jump to this post

Hi Hal,
Thank you so much Hal for generously sharing your experience living in Hawaii. I do have two trips booked, one for Kauai in Nov. one for Maui next Jan. So far the trips are still on. I will see how things go. I am still gathering info I need and adjusting myself with this condition. I am very grateful for the help I get from the people in this community, always being there to share their experiences and their knowledge. Best luck with your MRI and sputum tests and take care!

Ling

REPLY
@ling | @wangling | Jul 9, 2023
In reply to @christielynn "My experience in East Hawaii with humidity levels sometimes at 99% was the air was more..." + (show)
@christielynn

My experience in East Hawaii with humidity levels sometimes at 99% was the air was more like soup, there was no escaping breathing the moisture. It felt healthy at the time. Dr. Honda’s focus on volcanic emissions is interesting too, as our place was 12 miles from volcanic activity. Our household water was collected from rainwater, the norm for the area. I’m looking forward to more science on geology and NTM with a map for us non geologists.

Jump to this post

Many thanks for sharing your experience in East Hawaii. It is good to know that the humidity is that high sometimes there.

Ling

REPLY
dianne92649 | @dianne92649 | Feb 25 5:20pm
In reply to @christielynn "I picked up my NTM, both Avium and Abcessus on the big island having lived there..." + (show)
@christielynn

I picked up my NTM, both Avium and Abcessus on the big island having lived there for 10 years. The Mykobacteria readily attach to the soil types there and enviro transpiration is heavy there so I felt the steam rising off the landscape from the heat and humidity was a risk factor. It will take me some deep soul searching before I go back and I miss it every day

Jump to this post

I also lived in the big island for 14 years 1986-2000. Gardened and landscaped working with the soil. I was diagnosed in 2020 with Bronchiectasis with NTM after coughing up blood for the 1st time. Absolutely have no symptoms after that never cough but do see a pulmonologist at UCSD.

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