Sailing and cystic fibrosis

Question

Which experiences exist concerning the hygiene of water reservoirs on boats during sailing trips and is there a potential Pseudomonas problem? If so, what precautions can be taken? Should my daughter participate or not?

Answer

Dear questioneer,

you may actually be correct with your suspicion that there is a potential hygiene problem concerning Pseudomonas aeruignosa during a sailing trip, since the water is kept in tanks for longer periods of time and the filling in the harbour will not be carried out under sterile conditions. However, the mere suspicion is not enough and as in many other cases, a microbiological investigation of the water reservoirs for Pseudomonas aeruginosa (and E. coli) has to be carried out, if you want to be completely sure that the sailing trip is safe for your daughter in this regard. Unfortunately, I am not aware of such investigations and there are no reports in the literature that colonization with Pseudomonas aeruginosa has occurred during such sailing trips.

Some simple measures could help to mimize the risk, such as drinking water only from industrial filled bottles, disinfection of the hands regularly, eating only cooked food. Some riks sources are not easy to minimize, such as taking a shower, as it is often not possible to shower only when reaching the port and to know that the sanitary facilites there are in good order from the hygienic standpoint.

I hope that this helps.

Sincerely yours,

Gerd Dörng

04.12.2008