Contagion

Question

Dear Expert Team,

I have an urgent question: my new girlfriend carries the Epstein virus and had a borreliosis infection from a tick one year ago. Now my question: is that dangerous for me as a CF patient? Can I contract the virus, or is it safe? I would appreciate a quick answer!

Best wishes

Answer

Hello,

Borreliosis is an infectional disease triggered by the Borrelia burgdoferi bacterium. Usually, the carriers for this bacterium are ticks, which transmit it to humans during sucking.

A direct transmission of borrelia from human to human is not known, which means diseased persons are not contagious. In principle, a transmission via blood products is possible but has been considered unlikely so far.

You can find further information on the web site of the Robert Koch Institute (www.rki.de → “Infektionskrankheiten A-Z” [translator’s comment: the English language version of the web site does not provide this information]).

The Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) is transmitted by a so-called droplet-infection (Transmission of infectious agents by speaking, sneezing, coughing, shaking hands also). Additionally a direct infection or smear infection may occur (especially by saliva). Especially among young couples transmission very often occurs from mouth to mouth. This is why the disease is also named “kissing disease”. Nor can transmission by blood transfusion or in connection with transplantation be excluded.

It is conceivable that there might be transmission by sexual contacts since the Ebstein-Barr Virus can be detected in the secretion of the genitals.

An Epstein-Barr Virus infection mostly occurs in infancy or in young adults. Children mostly experience this infection without any symptoms. In adolescents and adults physical complaints occur more often. An EBV infection may be consumptive (weakness, tiredness), but in most cases there are no complications.

After an infection the virus remains e in the body for a lifetime, and a re-activation (falling ill anew) may occur. In most cases the body quickly overcomes such a re-activation by its own immune system. The course of the infection may be problematic in the case of immunodeficiency ( e.g. after transplantations or in connection with other diseases accompanied by immunodeficiency).
Cystic Fibrosis is a disease which as a rule does not cause an immunodeficiency syndrome. Therefore an EBV-infection may be compared to the course the disease takes with other (non-CF) persons.

With kind regards,
Dr. C. Smaczny

04.01.2009