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Separation in school, positive and negative, two pupils

Question
Dear expert team,

my daughter will probably have to leave her current school shortly, since she is negative and another girl is positive and both are on the same floor and in the same morning care group and also share the same playground. Due to renovation measures, the school is unable to meet the needs of both children.

The shool was informed by the CF clinic that mz daughter could also contract a disease while using public transport.

I am very despaired since I am scared that my daughter could catch a disease and I could catch it from her.

Which strict measures have to be taken in order to separate the children as best as possible?

Thank you and kind regards.
Answer
Hello,

I assume both children have CF, and with "positive" you probably mean a colonization with Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

If this is the case, Pseudomonas positive and negative CF patients should indeed be separated physically since a transmission of the germ is possible. An infection has to be avoided. Therefore, both children should not stay in the same room together, and if possible not on the same floor either. The most important measure in order to prevent infection is to avoid direct contact; therefore, the children should be trained to use hygienic measures and adhere to those, and they should avoid using the same toilet.

In the outdoors, this is different. It is indeed possible for both children tho share the same playground. In any case, however, they should keep a distance of at least one meter from each other. It could be shown that infectious particles can remain in the air for several minutes and up to hours, and while this is not a problem outside, it certainly is indoors. It has not been proven conclusively yet whether these droplets play a role in patient-to-patient transmission.

It would be important to know whether the Pseudomonas positive girl is currently undergoing therapy or whether an eradication therapy has already been started. A prompt therapy upon a positive germ test is successful in most cases. I would recommend doing throat cultures or sputum tests regularly to monitor the colonization. If you stick to the hygiene measures, the risk of infection is small and even neglectable for individuals without CF.

Kind regards,
Dr. Helmut Ellemunter
30.08.2011
30.8.11
Please see further information on this in former answers under the following links:
1. ecorn-cf.eu/index.php?id=65&L=0&tx_expertadvice_pi1[showitem]=1397&tx_expertadvice_pi1[search]=

2. ecorn-cf.eu/index.php?id=65&L=0&tx_expertadvice_pi1[showitem]=165&tx_expertadvice_pi1[search]=

D. d'Alquen