title: Aspergillus spp. colonization in exhaled breath condensate of lung cancer patients from Puglia Region of Italy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Airways of lung cancer patients are often colonized by fungi. Some of these colonizing fungi, under particular conditions, produce cancerogenic mycotoxins. Given the recent interest in the infective origin of lung cancer, with this preliminary study we aim to give our small contribution to this field of research by analysing the fungal microbiome of the exhaled breath condensate of lung cancer patients from Puglia, a region of Italy.
  
  
  METHODS
  We enrolled 43 lung cancer patients and 21 healthy subjects that underwent exhaled breath condensate and bronchial brushing collection. The fungal incidence and nature of sample collected were analysed by using a selected media for Aspergillus species.
  
  
  RESULTS
  For the first time we were able to analyse the fungal microbioma of the exhaled breath condensate. 27.9% of lung cancer patients showed a presence of Aspergillus niger, or A. ochraceus or Penicillium ssp. while none of the healthy subjects did so.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results confirmed the high percentage of fungal colonization of the airways of lung cancer patients from Puglia, suggesting the need to conduct further analyses in this field in order to evaluate the exact pathogenetic role of these fungi in lung cancer as well as to propose efficient, empirical therapy.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Respiratory Disease, Department of Medical and Occupational Sciences, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy. ge.carpagnano@unifg.it.
authors.forename: Giovanna E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Carpagnano
authors.forename: Donato
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lacedonia
authors.forename: Grazia Pia
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Palladino
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Logrieco
authors.forename: Elisabetta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Crisetti
authors.forename: Antonia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Susca
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Logrieco
authors.forename: Maria P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Foschino-Barbaro
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001230:Aspergillus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D001944:Breath Tests; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000382:microbiology*; D008875:Middle Aged