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Physiotherapist with chronic bronchitis
- Question
- Dear CF-Team,
Is there a danger for me as a CF patient to get infected by a phystiotherapist, who suffers for years from chronic bronchitis, via the contact in the frame of the physiotherapy?
Best regards and many thanks - Answer
- Hello,
I think that I can calm you in this case: a chronic bronchitis is in general not contagious at all nor caused by bacteria but manifestation of an inflammatory reaction in the airways as an answer to an irritant. With most of the people this irritant is smoking cigarettes, more seldom an exposure to pollutants because of the job. At some patients (e.g. asthma patients) there is also an underlying increased sensibility of the airways to environmental pollutants or allergens causing the bronchitis.
A chronic colonization with bacteria is on the other hand very seldom. Except for CF patients, chronic infections of the airways can be found sometimes in patients with bronchiectasis. A transmission of germs from a non-CF to a CF patients is however, if ever, a rarity.
Yours sincerely,
TO Hirche - 04.10.2010
