Long preamble to this question...sorry... 
My son, Connor, is special needs with a very complicated medical history including a primary immune deficiency. The infectious disease dr has instructed us not to immunize with any of the viral vaccines due to his low t-cell count. But he did recommend all the bacterial vaxes. I declined for various reasons (except Synagis, RSV immunoglobulin, which he got once a month throughout RSV season, yet at the very end of the season he still contracted RSV, thankfully a somewhat mild case)
He has a severe ear infection that we haven't been able to kick for over 6 weeks now. He has palatal dysfunction which allows fluids to backflow into his sinus cavity, then has reflux of his eustacian tubes which allows his sinuses to backflow into his ears, then he has malformed ear drums and canals which traps the fluid in there. He had tubes put in on Feb 22nd and has basically had an infection since.
They finally cultured the infection since none of the "regular" abx were working (he was on Ciprodex drops, then Amox, then Rochephin...for 3 weeks it seemed all was well, then infection was back, so Cipro again, then Augmentin...ear was still draining green puss)
The culture came back positive for h. influenza. The nurse couldn't tell me which strain, but she did say it was [something] negative (I asked her to spell it, but I was on my cell and had a bad connection). She said the culture showed that the infection is susceptible to all the abx he's been on already. Yet the infection is still there.
We are waiting for the fungal culture to come still, because it's possible he has a fungal infection also, and that is why the abx aren't working against the bacteria.
SO...the reason I'm posting this in the vax board... I *know* that I'm going to have a fight on my hands from the infectious disease dr and possibly from the ENT about the Hib vax. Regardless of the strain of this infection, they are going to bring up the issue. So, I'm looking for the following info:
1. How many strains of h. influenza are there?
2. Which strains are covered by the vax? (only b?)
3. I've seen links before to rates of infection of each of the strains that supposedly show that since the introduction of Hib vax, other strains have taken the place of the b strain, so that the overall rates of h. influenza are unchanged...can I have that (those) link(s) please?
4. Any BTDT advice on how to handle this current h. influenza infection?? We have to treat the infection, his immune deficiency puts him at risk of serious complications, he already has hearing loss and a severe speech delay so I'm very cautious with all things regarding his ear, and repeated infections of any kind are taxing on his little body which has already been through so much. So although most kids can "ride out" an ear infection, he can't. I have to treat it...but obviously what we're doing isn't working!!
Thanks all!
My son, Connor, is special needs with a very complicated medical history including a primary immune deficiency. The infectious disease dr has instructed us not to immunize with any of the viral vaccines due to his low t-cell count. But he did recommend all the bacterial vaxes. I declined for various reasons (except Synagis, RSV immunoglobulin, which he got once a month throughout RSV season, yet at the very end of the season he still contracted RSV, thankfully a somewhat mild case)
He has a severe ear infection that we haven't been able to kick for over 6 weeks now. He has palatal dysfunction which allows fluids to backflow into his sinus cavity, then has reflux of his eustacian tubes which allows his sinuses to backflow into his ears, then he has malformed ear drums and canals which traps the fluid in there. He had tubes put in on Feb 22nd and has basically had an infection since.
They finally cultured the infection since none of the "regular" abx were working (he was on Ciprodex drops, then Amox, then Rochephin...for 3 weeks it seemed all was well, then infection was back, so Cipro again, then Augmentin...ear was still draining green puss)
The culture came back positive for h. influenza. The nurse couldn't tell me which strain, but she did say it was [something] negative (I asked her to spell it, but I was on my cell and had a bad connection). She said the culture showed that the infection is susceptible to all the abx he's been on already. Yet the infection is still there.
We are waiting for the fungal culture to come still, because it's possible he has a fungal infection also, and that is why the abx aren't working against the bacteria.
SO...the reason I'm posting this in the vax board... I *know* that I'm going to have a fight on my hands from the infectious disease dr and possibly from the ENT about the Hib vax. Regardless of the strain of this infection, they are going to bring up the issue. So, I'm looking for the following info:
1. How many strains of h. influenza are there?
2. Which strains are covered by the vax? (only b?)
3. I've seen links before to rates of infection of each of the strains that supposedly show that since the introduction of Hib vax, other strains have taken the place of the b strain, so that the overall rates of h. influenza are unchanged...can I have that (those) link(s) please?
4. Any BTDT advice on how to handle this current h. influenza infection?? We have to treat the infection, his immune deficiency puts him at risk of serious complications, he already has hearing loss and a severe speech delay so I'm very cautious with all things regarding his ear, and repeated infections of any kind are taxing on his little body which has already been through so much. So although most kids can "ride out" an ear infection, he can't. I have to treat it...but obviously what we're doing isn't working!!
Thanks all!
