MARCoNS Testing in CIRS- Don't Waste Money!

When you have Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (AKA Mold Illness), every dollar counts. In this Vlog Dr. LaurenSparks talks about the use of Microbioogy Dx's- Nares Bacterial Culture to rule out MARCoNS. She stresses not to complete the fungal culture as this is an extra $95 and does not guide treatment. Dr. Scott McMahon recently reported at a conference in the UK that 90% of us are colonized with fungus. Why should we NOT care? Because colonization is not always pathogenic!Just bc something is there on a swab doesn’t mean it needs to be treated. A good example is how we sometimes find an absence of MARCoNS and an abundance of Staph aureus. The beauty of this is that the Staph aureus is preventing MARCoNS from colonizing. We do not want to treat this with the rare exception of something like major sinus surgery. Dr. Sparks also addresses why we won't use antifungals in CIRS treatment. CIRS does not mean mold colonization but is instead a response of the innate immune system. When antifungals are used in CIRS treatment, it double the grey matter nuclear atrophy loss on the brain MRI NeuroQuant. (AKA- double the loss of brain mass!) What’s on the horizon?There is some concern that actinos colonization in the nose could be an issue even if MARCoNS are not present. More research is needed. Links- Microbioogy Dx- Microbiology Dx Nares Bacterial Culture includes MARCoNS & other pathogens (MARCoNS only)- $100- https://www.microbiologydx.com/ MicroGenDX (actino and MARCoNS)- $259- https://patients.microgendx.com/products/sinuskey