Microbial Ecology of the Respiratory Tract in Cystic Fibrosis
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Microbial ecology of the respiratory tract in cystic fibrosis and bronchiectasis: investigating changes in the microbiota during treatment of pulmonary exacerbations using metagenomic sequencing and metatranscriptomics
IRAS ID
139557
Contact name
Nicholas Loman
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 0 months, 0 days
Research summary
Cystic fibrosis (CF) is the common life-limiting inherited disease in the Caucasian population, predominantly affecting the lungs and resulting in a condition called bronchiectasis. Bronchiectasis can also be seen in people without CF whose airways have become damaged by other processes (e.g. previous severe pneumonia). People with CF and bronchiecrasis suffer repeated lung infections (pulmonary exacerbations) which results in progressive lung damage. A common bacteria cultured in sputum using standard culture techniques is Pseudomonas aeruginosa. More advanced techniques for bacterial identification are now available and these have revealed that the sputum of CF and bronchiectasis patients often contains multiple strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa at the same time, as well as many other many other bacteria, fungi and viruses. Since successful treatment of chest infections (pulmonary exacerbations) relies on accurate identification of the infecting organism, the presence of these other organisms is potentially very important.
This study uses newly-available molecular analysis techniques which do not rely on conventional microbiological culture to examine the entire complement of genetic information contained within respiratory samples. These techniques, namely high-throughput metagenomic sequencing and metatranscriptomics, will give information as to the composition and interaction of microbial organisms (bacteria, fungi, viruses) contained within upper and lower respiratory tract samples (sputum and sinus washout fluid). The main aim of this study is to assess how these organisms change before, during and after treatment for pulmonary exacerbations. The data obtained in this study will also prove useful in determining the best way to treat pulmonary exacerbations, the impact of the different strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa on patient morbidity as well as evidence for cross-infection between patients.
REC name
West Midlands - South Birmingham Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
14/WM/1259
Date of REC Opinion
22 Dec 2014
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion