Profile: 31-year-old female, 5’5", 118 lbs, Caucasian, non-drinker, no history of smoking or drug use. Current meds: Hypertonic saline and levalbuterol for clearing airways. Diagnoses: Pulmonary MAC infection and bronchiectasis. My lung specialist and I are investigating the cause of my MAC infection, especially since my tests don’t show any immune deficiencies. A CT scan confirmed bronchiectasis, but my doctor believes that clearing the MAC with intensive antibiotics might lead to some improvement. She suspects the infection preceded the bronchiectasis, as I had no prior history of the condition. My symptoms—primarily daily productive coughing and occasional tiredness—began in early 2020, though I wasn’t diagnosed until early 2022. Currently, I use exercise and airway clearance to manage it, but I’ll be starting a long-term antibiotic regimen soon. One point of interest is my high Aspergillus IgG level (roughly 72, compared to a normal range of under 2). My doctor noted that while these antibodies are present, it doesn’t confirm an active Aspergillus infection, particularly since my sputum cultures are negative and my IgE levels are within the normal range. Does anyone have insight into what high IgG for Aspergillus signifies in this context, or how it relates to MAC and bronchiectasis? Thanks for reading!
Have you already been screened for cystic fibrosis or had your IgG subclass levels checked?