Non-invasive diagnostics of pathogenic bacteria using a breath sampler in children with cystic fibrosis

Area of Science:

• Respiratory Medicine
• Microbiology
• Medical Device Technology

Background:

• Cystic fibrosis (CF) is an autosomal recessive disease characterized by thick mucus, leading to recurrent pulmonary infections.
• Current diagnostics for bacterial colonization in CF patients rely on cultures from swabs, sputum, or bronchoalveolar lavage.
• These conventional methods may not fully capture the lower respiratory tract's microbial landscape.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of a novel Modular Breath Sampler (MBS) for detecting respiratory pathogens in CF patients.
• To compare pathogen detection rates between MBS samples and conventional diagnostic methods.
• To assess patient and parent perception of the MBS device.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving CF patients and a control group of asthma patients.
• Collection of exhaled breath samples using the MBS device.
• Pathogen-specific polymerase chain reactions (PCRs) on MBS samples and comparison with conventional cultures from swabs/sputa.

Main Results:

• The MBS detected *Pseudomonas aeruginosa* and *Streptococcus pneumoniae* more frequently than conventional methods.
• *Staphylococcus aureus* was more prevalent in swab/sputa samples.
• MBS-based diagnostics suggested higher sensitivity, with most *P. aeruginosa* detections not correlating with recent positive cultures.
• Patients and parents found the MBS easy to use and less burdensome.

Conclusions:

• The MBS may offer a more sensitive approach to detecting lower respiratory tract pathogens in CF patients.
• The device samples different respiratory compartments compared to traditional methods.
• The MBS is perceived as a user-friendly and less burdensome diagnostic tool for CF care.