title: Infection in cystic fibrosis: impact of the environment and climate.
abstract: In many countries numbers of adults with cystic fibrosis (CF) exceed that of children, with median survival predicted to surpass 50 years. Increasing longevity is, in part, due to intensive therapies including eradication of early infection and suppressive therapies and pulmonary exacerbations. Initial infections with common CF pathogens are thought to arise from the natural environment. We review the impact of climate and environment on infection in CF. Specifically, several studies indicate that higher ambient temperatures, proximity to the equator and the summer season may be linked to the increased prevalence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in people with CF. The environment may also play an important role in the acquisition of Gram negative organisms other than P. aeruginosa. There is emerging data suggesting that climatic and environmental factors are likely to impact on the risk of infection with NTM and fungi in people which are found extensively throughout the natural environment.
authors.affiliation: a Lung Bacteria Group , QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute , Brisbane , Australia.|b Child Health Research Centre, The University of Queensland , Brisbane , Australia.|c School of Medicine , The University of Queensland , Brisbane , Australia.
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Ramsay
authors.affiliation: a Lung Bacteria Group , QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute , Brisbane , Australia.
authors.forename: R E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Stockwell
authors.affiliation: a Lung Bacteria Group , QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute , Brisbane , Australia.|c School of Medicine , The University of Queensland , Brisbane , Australia.|d Adult Cystic Fibrosis Centre , The Prince Charles Hospital , Brisbane , Australia.
authors.forename: S C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Bell
authors.affiliation: b Child Health Research Centre, The University of Queensland , Brisbane , Australia.|e Centre for Infection and Immunity , Queen's University Belfast , Belfast , UK.|f School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences , The University of Queensland , Brisbane , Australia.
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Kidd
mesh_terms: D002980:Climate; D003550:Cystic Fibrosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000401:mortality; D004777:Environment; D006801:Humans; D009165:Mycobacterium Infections, Nontuberculous / Q000150:complications*; D011379:Prognosis; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa
keywords: Cystic fibrosis; Pseudomonas aeruginosa; acquisition; climate; environmental microbiology; epidemiology; fungi; infection; nontuberculous mycobacteria; travel