Specific measures to prevent germ transmission

Question

Hello, I have cystic fibrosis and a six-year-old son who stays with his father every other weekend from Friday to Monday.

Unfortunately, there seems to be a drainage problem in his apartment, with sewage backing up. At least, the pipes have been clogged quite often, and water from the toilet has backed up into the shower. To fix this, my former husband always calls a plumber.

What should I do if my child has been there and this happens again?
I don't know when this happens and when it doesn't.
If my child comes home with clothes that aren't obviously dirty, do they still need to be taken off and washed immediately?

If so, is a 60-degree wash necessary, or is 40 degrees with a disinfectant sufficient?

What about sports clothes that the father washes there and dries on a drying rack in the hallway?

Up to now:

The child came home as usual, washed his hands, and spent another one to two hours at home in his clothes. In the evening, he had a bath. His clothes are washed at 40 degrees with disinfectant as well as the sport clothes after sports lessons at school when he comes home.

Unfortunately, communication with the father isn't the best. So I don't know if there was another "drainage problem" that weekend or not. The child only mentions these things occasionally, and I don't know if their imagination is overactive.

Therefore, if any measures are necessary, I would like to implement them in a way that doesn't burden the child and protects my health.

Answer

Dear advice seeker,
If I understand correctly, the child is healthy and you have cystic fibrosis (CF).

Generally speaking:
Patients with CF have a normal immune system and are not at greater risk of contracting infections more frequently or severely than other people.

The problem with CF is germs like Pseudomonas aeruginosa or molds that occur naturally. These germs can settle in the lungs of people with CF, and chronic Pseudomonas infections can impair lung function over time. Therefore, it is essential to avoid Pseudomonas infections. Molds can trigger allergic lung diseases in people with CF. Therefore, CF patients should not handle damp soil, leaves, or houseplants with soil, or, for example, clean out stables.

Pseudomonas thrives in damp conditions and can easily live in drain traps or toilet cisterns. That's why you should close the toilet lid before flushing, and in the morning, someone else should let the water run out of the tap or shower. The fresh water from the waterworks is free of Pseudomonas.

If wastewater, as described, comes up in the shower, that's obviously not good, as this water isn't particularly clean. Often, water vapors containing the germ are inhaled. But if the child doesn't have cystic fibrosis, he won't develop a Pseudomonas infection that he could transmit to you. Therefore, you're safe.

Apart from being careful with prolonged dampness or stagnant water, only normal hygiene rules need to be observed for children with CF: normal handwashing after outdoor activities and before meals; laundry can be washed normally at 40°C, as soiled clothing poses less of an infection risk than water sources with aerosols.

Of course, you can wash the sports clothes at the father's house; the water that goes into the washing machine is clean, and there's nothing wrong with drying them on a clothesline.


When clothes are very dirty, every child who comes home takes them off to avoid soiling the apartment. These things are no different, or even more so, for children with CF.

Since your child does not have CF, you don't need to worry about any risk to yourself, as healthy individuals cannot contract or transmit Pseudomonas. Your child's dirty clothes also pose no significant risk to you, as the germs mentioned are not transmitted this way, and you follow normal hygiene rules for yourself (e.g., washing your hands when they get dirty).

Therefore, you can relax about your child staying with their father if you follow normal hygiene rules regarding Pseudomonas yourself—your child, who does not have CF, is not a worrying source of infection for you.

I hope this has been helpful.

Sincerely,
Daniela d'Alquen

20.02.2026