Municipal water supply systems disinfect water with reverse osmosis filters, chlorine or bromine, etc. However, this does not account for the distribution system, particularly within the home (or pipes to the public swimming pools). They may be rusted, have junk leaking into it, or any number of bad stuff, especially in older buildings and homes. So what really needs to be done is to test the free available chlorine or bromine within your home, at your sink, to determine the level as it leaves your tap ... if you are concerned about this. It is a very simple test. Of couse if you have water from a private well, the disinfection of the water has been via natural systems, eg., the soil, etc., and whatever other purification systems you have in place. I would definitely put in a reverse osmosis filtration system, etc., if I had a child with cf and relied upon private well water.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
Pseudomonas
- Thread starter cabadie1
- Start date
This is a recurrent question. The most clearly dangerous source appears to be hot tubs and spas - the higher temperature makes for a perfect petri dish. Other water sources are pretty universally recognized as posing a risk - including showers (especially the shower heads), tubs and sinks, where Pseudomonas has been cultured. I spray my sink with Clorox daily, as well as the children's tub and shower. I also typically clean their sinks and faucets with Clorox as well - just come see my pitted stainless drains! As I recall some studies, a consistent source is hospital sinks! Pseudemonas can be found everywhere which is why it's so difficult for CFers to avoid.
The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation has public guidelines that might be useful to mention again here:
Leisure Activities
61. The CF Foundation recommends that people with CF should limit prolonged and/or repeated exposure to activities that generate dust from soil and organic matter (eg, gardening and lawn mowing) to decrease exposure to potential soilborne pathogens (eg,Burkholderia spp. and Aspergillus spp.).
2013 CF IP&C guideline consensus: 100%
Sections in the text: IV.D.1
62. The CF Foundation recommends that people with CF should avoid exposure to construction and renovation activities that generate dust to decrease exposure to potential pathogens (eg, Aspergillus spp.).
2013 CF IP&C guideline consensus: 100%
Sections in the text: III.D.1; III.D.3
63. The CF Foundation recommends that people with CF can swim in pools or water parks with adequate disinfection (eg, chlorination).
2013 CF IP&C guideline consensus: 100%
Sections in the text: III.D.1
64. The CF Foundation recommends that people with CF avoid activities in hot tubs, whirlpool spas, and stagnant water.
2013 CF IP&C guideline consensus: 100%
Sections in the text: III.D.1
65. There is insufficient evidence at the time of publication of this document for the CF Foundation to recommend for or against people with CF avoiding activities in natural bodies of water that are not stagnant (eg, ocean, ponds, and hot springs).
2013 CF IP&C guideline, certainty: low
Sections in the text: III.D.1
Contact with Pets or Farm Animals
66. The CF Foundation recommends that people with CF perform hand hygiene after changing the litter, handling feces, cleaning and disinfecting the cages or fish tanks of their pets, or interacting with farm animals.
Source of supporting evidence: http://www.cdc.gov/healthypets/
2013 CF IP&C guideline consensus: 100%
Sections in the text: III.C
67. The CF Foundation recommends that people with CF avoid cleaning stalls, pens, or coops.
Here's the link to the full text of the Guidelines, which is really a good read: http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1086/676882
In addition, here's a link from cff.org to the Infection Control Guidelines published in 2003 which is more detailed: http://www.cff.org/UploadedFiles/tr...mmendations-for-Patients-With-CF-May-2003.pdf
I've reprinted a portion with the info on hot tubs and pools below:
2.2.3. Colonization of Whirlpools, Hot Tubs,Swimming Pools, and Dental EquipmentColonization of whirlpools (ie, hydrotherapy pools),swimming pools, hot tubs, and dental equipment with P.aeruginosa has been evaluated. Whirlpools and hot tubsboth were found to harbor P. aeruginosa, while chlorinatedswimming pools did not.189 Outbreaks of folliculitis, nodularlesions, and more serious infections caused by P.aeruginosa have been associated with hot tubs andwhirlpool bathtubs in the community and in hospitals.190,191Pools must be well chlorinated according to standardrecommendations to prevent P. aeruginosa contamination.191Dental equipment can be colonized with P. aeruginosa.Jensen et al. demonstrated that a patient and dental equipmentshared the same clone.192 Standard cleaning and disinfection/sterilizationprocedures of dental equipment will preventpatient-to-patient transmission of potential pathogens.
On a personal note, the info I've found has led me to believe that outdoor pools that are well chlorinated and well maintained are a bit safer than indoor public pools. Hot tubs and spas are best completely avoided. Ponds and lakes are too risky for me as well. The best place to swim is simply ocean water. The high concentrations of salt in ocean water is an excellent killer of bacteria. But a salt water pool is NOT the same thing - the concentrations of salt are just too low to have the same effect. There was a thread back in 2010 on salt water pools: http://forum.cysticfibrosis.com/threads/29337-Swimming-in-a-saline-saltwater-pool
We all have to make judgment calls on what we expose ourselves and our children to. There is no foolproof method other than potentially placing ourselves in a bubble. But the judgments we make need to be informed - know what you are risking and what degree of risk you're encountering when it's available. But the truth is, there is no way to avoid all risk.
I can only hope I've helped provide the information you need to make decisions!
Blessings. . . .
The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation has public guidelines that might be useful to mention again here:
Leisure Activities
61. The CF Foundation recommends that people with CF should limit prolonged and/or repeated exposure to activities that generate dust from soil and organic matter (eg, gardening and lawn mowing) to decrease exposure to potential soilborne pathogens (eg,Burkholderia spp. and Aspergillus spp.).
2013 CF IP&C guideline consensus: 100%
Sections in the text: IV.D.1
62. The CF Foundation recommends that people with CF should avoid exposure to construction and renovation activities that generate dust to decrease exposure to potential pathogens (eg, Aspergillus spp.).
2013 CF IP&C guideline consensus: 100%
Sections in the text: III.D.1; III.D.3
63. The CF Foundation recommends that people with CF can swim in pools or water parks with adequate disinfection (eg, chlorination).
2013 CF IP&C guideline consensus: 100%
Sections in the text: III.D.1
64. The CF Foundation recommends that people with CF avoid activities in hot tubs, whirlpool spas, and stagnant water.
2013 CF IP&C guideline consensus: 100%
Sections in the text: III.D.1
65. There is insufficient evidence at the time of publication of this document for the CF Foundation to recommend for or against people with CF avoiding activities in natural bodies of water that are not stagnant (eg, ocean, ponds, and hot springs).
2013 CF IP&C guideline, certainty: low
Sections in the text: III.D.1
Contact with Pets or Farm Animals
66. The CF Foundation recommends that people with CF perform hand hygiene after changing the litter, handling feces, cleaning and disinfecting the cages or fish tanks of their pets, or interacting with farm animals.
Source of supporting evidence: http://www.cdc.gov/healthypets/
2013 CF IP&C guideline consensus: 100%
Sections in the text: III.C
67. The CF Foundation recommends that people with CF avoid cleaning stalls, pens, or coops.
Here's the link to the full text of the Guidelines, which is really a good read: http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1086/676882
In addition, here's a link from cff.org to the Infection Control Guidelines published in 2003 which is more detailed: http://www.cff.org/UploadedFiles/tr...mmendations-for-Patients-With-CF-May-2003.pdf
I've reprinted a portion with the info on hot tubs and pools below:
2.2.3. Colonization of Whirlpools, Hot Tubs,Swimming Pools, and Dental EquipmentColonization of whirlpools (ie, hydrotherapy pools),swimming pools, hot tubs, and dental equipment with P.aeruginosa has been evaluated. Whirlpools and hot tubsboth were found to harbor P. aeruginosa, while chlorinatedswimming pools did not.189 Outbreaks of folliculitis, nodularlesions, and more serious infections caused by P.aeruginosa have been associated with hot tubs andwhirlpool bathtubs in the community and in hospitals.190,191Pools must be well chlorinated according to standardrecommendations to prevent P. aeruginosa contamination.191Dental equipment can be colonized with P. aeruginosa.Jensen et al. demonstrated that a patient and dental equipmentshared the same clone.192 Standard cleaning and disinfection/sterilizationprocedures of dental equipment will preventpatient-to-patient transmission of potential pathogens.
On a personal note, the info I've found has led me to believe that outdoor pools that are well chlorinated and well maintained are a bit safer than indoor public pools. Hot tubs and spas are best completely avoided. Ponds and lakes are too risky for me as well. The best place to swim is simply ocean water. The high concentrations of salt in ocean water is an excellent killer of bacteria. But a salt water pool is NOT the same thing - the concentrations of salt are just too low to have the same effect. There was a thread back in 2010 on salt water pools: http://forum.cysticfibrosis.com/threads/29337-Swimming-in-a-saline-saltwater-pool
We all have to make judgment calls on what we expose ourselves and our children to. There is no foolproof method other than potentially placing ourselves in a bubble. But the judgments we make need to be informed - know what you are risking and what degree of risk you're encountering when it's available. But the truth is, there is no way to avoid all risk.
I can only hope I've helped provide the information you need to make decisions!
Blessings. . . .