Tuberculosis & diving

[marku]

Hi,

I work as a divemaster and was sidelined for 2 months because of Pulmonary Tubercolosis. I took Myrin-P for 2 months and have tested negative on my sputum tests. I am now taking Myrin for 4 months. I think both drugs are made by Wyeth. I am planning to go back to work soon. Is that advisable? Anything in particular I should keep in mind? My doctor said the pathogens thrive better in oxygen-rich environments; should I stay away from nitrox? My doctor is not very familiar with diving physiology and I would appreciate any input I can get from anybody out there.

Thank you!!

marku

 

[MoonWrasse]

Interesting. A search of DAN for Tuberculosis didn't turn up any information on what I'd figure to be the main concern, AGE.

The other day I heard a figure that 1/3 the world population was infected. It would seem that more than 1 diver would be diving with this disease, no?

 

[darkpup]

Hi,

I work as a divemaster and was sidelined for 2 months because of Pulmonary Tubercolosis. I took Myrin-P for 2 months and have tested negative on my sputum tests. I am now taking Myrin for 4 months. I think both drugs are made by Wyeth. I am planning to go back to work soon. Is that advisable? Anything in particular I should keep in mind? My doctor said the pathogens thrive better in oxygen-rich environments; should I stay away from nitrox? My doctor is not very familiar with diving physiology and I would appreciate any input I can get from anybody out there.

Thank you!!

marku

Interesting question. What did your Doctor define as an "oxygen rich environment"?

As you know from your Nitrox course, the ppO2 of Air will increase with depth.

0' = 0.21
33' = 0.42
66' = 0.63
99' = 0.84

Seems to me that even Air at 33' would be twice the "oxygen rich environment" as Air on land. Nitrox would obviously make the oxygen richer at shallower depths.

Has any research on this been done before?

Seems kind of like the same situation as diving while pregnant. You might be ok doing it, but no one is interested in doing the research since it has the potential to cause harm.

Regardless, I'm sorry you're having to ask these types of questions. Definitely not a good situation to be in.

~ Jason

 

[Cacia]

Did you actually HAVE active TB or just test positive on a skin test and go on prophylaxis?


hmmm, sounds like you had active TB. I will be surprised if Nitrox makes any difference whatsoever. Only use your own reg in the meantime... snorkel, etc.
how prevalent is TB where you are?

 

[Tom Winters]

Tuberculosis as a disease was on the ropes years ago, but repeated misuse of antibiotics in Third World countries allowed more and more virulent strains to mutate.
The old Soviet Union/Russia is a classic example of a disease that was virtually wiped out but thanks to rampant, indiscriminate antibiotic misuse, they have too many wards filled with untreatable, dying TB patients - it's like the old HIV/AIDS orphanage factory wards in Romania under Ceauşescu.
I personally don't think diving with TB is a wise idea - any kind of pulmonary misfunction is a contraindication for diving, but people still do it.
Your call.

 

[marku]

Thanks for the quick response guys!

MoonWrasse, I'm 27 years old. And yeah, I would assume there are a couple of divers out there with latent (non-active) TB and do not know it. Yikes!

Darkpup/Jason, I guess any partial pressure over 0.5 could safely be called O2-rich.

Catherine, I actually had active TB. I had blood in my sputum during the 1st month that I was sick. If I understood my doctor correctly, what I have right now is no longer infectious but I still have to dilligently take my medicine to completely get rid of TB.

Tom, i was worried about having the multiple-drug resistant strain there for a while but the negative results of my sputum tests (we did tests for 3 consecutive days) showed I worried needlessly.

But yeah, I really think there should be more awareness about TB. Being in the dark sucks, especially if you're the one who has it.

-marku

 

[Cacia]

I am TB positive but have a clear chest film. Many health care workers who have been to third world countries are, they say. The old protoccol was INH if you were under 35 but not if you were over??? maybe tSandsM will mosey by and give us the low down.

 

[TSandM]

Going to the CDC site, it appears that INH treatment is now recommended for all new converters, except in a few situations where rifampin is used instead.

Active disease is usually treated with a multiple drug regimen, and it is true that prolonged treatment is necessary to eradicate infection.

Active TB can be complicated with abscesses and pneumothoraces. I'm not aware of any recommendations for or against diving with TB, but I would think it prudent not to dive while the disease was active, and to have at the very least a chest x-ray (probably better a CT) once the disease was considered under control, to document any damage that might raise the risk of pneumothorax while diving. That's just me talking, though -- no science.

 

[Ber Rabbit]

Here's a link to a thread I posted asking about TB a couple of years ago.
Ber :lilbunny:

 

[chip104]

mark pards, was wondering what you were up to. I wish you all the best in your recovery. I had the chance to check out Siliman last month. Beautiful campus - I love duma. Hope you're back to diving soon.

Ingat kapatid.