Sulfeld

Researchers are investigating whether household environmental sources, especially water systems, are linked to non-tuberculous mycobacterial NTM infections in people with cystic fibrosis CF. This observational case-control study includes about 120 CF patients from several centers in Germany, half with a current or past NTM lung infection and half without. The study aims to better understand how people with CF might be exposed to NTM at home and guide future prevention strategies. Environmental samples such as water, dust, and soil will be collected from participants homes and tested for NTM using methods like culture, PCR, and whole-genome sequencing. These results will be compared between households of patients with and without NTM infections. Researchers will also compare environmental NTM to clinical isolates from the same patients and gather information on environmental and behavioral risk factors through questionnaires. The study is non-interventional and relies on data and samples collected during routine CF care. Participants will be followed for up to three years to document any new NTM infections in those initially without infection. The research team will assess the prevalence of NTM in home environments, differences between groups, and genetic similarities between environmental and patient samples. The study also looks at long-term outcomes and helps identify risk factors associated with NTM presence. There are no extra medical procedures for participants beyond routine care.

Researchers are studying patients with pulmonary infections caused by nontuberculous mycobacteria NTM to understand how symptoms reported in a daily diary relate to the diseases progression and treatment results. The study aims to find links between patient-reported symptoms and microbiological and radiological data to improve monitoring methods and patient quality of life. This observational study involves adult patients with confirmed NTM lung infections, focusing on how well a symptom diary reflects their health status over time. Participants are divided into two groups those receiving antimicrobial therapy and those not receiving therapy based on clinical decisions or personal choice. Each patient is asked to record symptoms such as cough, body weight, temperature, and other complaints daily for six months using a symptom diary. Alongside this, routine clinical data including microbiological tests and radiological imaging are collected as part of standard care, without extra diagnostic procedures required by the study. During the study, researchers will compare the symptom diary entries with routine clinical findings to assess how well the diary captures disease progression and treatment effects. The primary outcomes focus on the correlation between diary symptoms and radiological and microbiological results over six months. Patients will follow their usual clinical care schedules, with data collected at intervals from weekly to monthly, and no additional study visits are necessary. The total participation lasts six months, during which symptom tracking and routine monitoring occur.