A 1-m distance is not safe for children with cystic fibrosis at risk for cross-infection with Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
Although maintaining a distance of 1 m between persons with cystic fibrosis (CF) is a universal recommendation to prevent respiratory cross-infections such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa, evidence supporting this preventive measure is scarce. Examining 336 samples from 42 patients with CF collected experimentally from sterile surfaces after speaking and coughing, we found that transmission of P aeruginosa beyond 1 m is possible during both talking and coughing, although the probability is low (1.7%).
Department of Pediatrics, Section of Nursing Sciences, University of Florence, Florence, Italy. filippo.festini@unifi.it
Filippo
F
Festini
Giovanni
G
Taccetti
Valeria
V
Galici
Stella
S
Neri
Sofia
S
Bisogni
Daniele
D
Ciofi
Cesare
C
Braggion
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission*; D003550:Cystic Fibrosis / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017053:Infection Control / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D011552:Pseudomonas Infections / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission*; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D055815:Young Adult