Section II
Mycoplasma
Infections
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Mycoplasmas are a simple and very pesky
form of bacteria. They are quite frequently found
in people with CFS and fibromyalgia. They are not the cause of CFS, but are opportunistic
infections. Treating them can help quite a bit.
An excellent
article on these can be found at the Gulf
War Vets site. The following information comes from that
article. Over 70% of CFS and fibromyalgia patients test positive for
mycoplasma infections compared to only 10% of healthy controls.
Almost half had more than one type of mycoplasma in their systems.
Mycoplasmas
can be treated with certain types of antibiotics. See the Gulf
War Vets article for information. Note that certain antibiotics such
as penicillin and tetracycline can make things worse.
My
Own Experience
One doctor gave me
azithromycin for a sinus infection. It did not help my sinus problems at
all, but suddenly my stomach problems were much better. I have since
learned that azithromycin is one of the antibiotics used to treat mycoplasmas.
I had not yet heard of mycoplasmas, but it is now apparent that I may have
had an
infection. There was a time when I first came down with CFS that
I was given tetracycline for an eye problem, and I did indeed get
much worse.
Only a few labs
have tests for mycoplasmas. One is ImmunoSciences
in southern California.
| Risks Involved: |
Minimal if
treated properly. Penicillins or tetracyclines
can make this condition worse. Be sure to see a doctor who is
familiar with the condition or who is willing to learn about it. See the safer
antibiotics page. |
| Doctor Needed: |
To treat this
you will need to locate a doctor that is familiar with mycoplasmas. Try
your nearest teaching hospital. Mycoplasmas are common in AIDS and in Gulf War
Syndrome.
A doctor who treats these will probably know how to test for and treat
mycoplasmas. |
| Effectiveness: |
It may take
several rounds of antibiotics to treat this. This can result in a
big improvement in gastrointestinal problems. |
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