Why do coughs, germs and bugs hit harder for those with CF 🦠

With Arlo starting nursery we have gone from him not catching a single bug in the first 5 months of his life (and then from months 6 to 12 it was only the occasional moderate growth of some of the more common bugs with milder symptoms). To a phase in his life where he is picking up bug after bug after bug.

A few people have asked why coughs, colds and usual childhood bugs hit harder for those with CF and why Arlo seems to be more susceptible to chest infections so I thought I’d dedicate a post to the topic.

Bacteria, viruses and funghi/moulds can all cause infections and the most common way they are spread is by contact and / or as droplets from aerosolisation, coughing and sneezing.

Some germs - like the common cold, the flu virus and RSV - affect both children with and without CF. However, when these germs are caught by someone with CF, the result is usually a more severe illness and sometimes hospitalisation.

Then there are other germs - like the well-known bacteria that all CF mamas hate with a passion; Pseudomonas. A child without CF can be exposed to these germs (they can even breathe these germs in and breathe them out again) and not get sick at all. However, when a child with CF is exposed to one of these germs, they can be very sick indeed.

Why is this?

In healthy lungs, there is a thin layer of mucus and little hairs called cilia that helps your body move dirt and bacteria out of the lungs. In people with CF, the mucus is much thicker and clogs the lungs, creating the perfect environment for harmful bacteria to stick and grow very well. When white blood cells in the body attack the germs, this causes inflammation and produces even more mucus.

This is why people with CF are prone to more frequent and sometimes very serious chest infections - and this is why Arlo is unwell more often than his nursery buddies or they might catch a bug that causes them to be a little off colour but Arlo will need a strong treatment plan and some additional help to clear the same bug.