FFC#26/2018

Aspergillus pulmonary disease in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients: multicentre perspective observational study based on new diagnostic tests to evaluate the prognostic value on the CF disease

FFC#26/2018

Aspergillus pulmonary disease in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients: multicentre perspective observational study based on new diagnostic tests to evaluate the prognostic value on the CF disease

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Alessandro Bartoloni (Unità Infezione e Malattie Tropicali, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Careggi, Firenze)

Partner

Claudio Viscoli (Div. Malattie Infettive, Università di Genova, Ospedale San Martino, Genova); Lisa Cariani (Lab. Analisi, Microbiologia FC, Fondazione IRCSS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milano); Ersilia Vita Fiscarelli (Lab. Microbiologia FC, Ospedale Bambino Gesù, Roma)

RESEARCHERS

23

CATEGORY

AREA 5 Clinical and Epidemiological research

DURATION

2 years

GOAL

€ 75.000 €

RESULTS

In this project, the four Italian Cystic Fibrosis Center enrolled 164 adult patients to conduct sputum and blood tests to diagnose and classify the Aspergillus lung disease. Most of the patients showed chronic infection by Pseudomonas aeruginosa (54.3%), by methicillin susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) (43.9%), while a minority of patients showed chronic infection by Alcaligenes xylosoxidans (8.5%), by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) (7.3%) or by Staphylococcus aureus small colony variant (2.4%). As proposed by the Baxter’s classification to assess the possible degree of aspergillosis, the researchers carried out different tests to detect the Aspergillus infection. Nevertheless, the results of the serological tests (detection of IgG and IgE antibodies) and of the molecular analysis (real-time PCR) proved to be unreliable and have not allowed a correct classification of patients with Aspergillus infection using Baxter’s criteria. The analysis of the potential impact of Aspergillus on lung function indices is currently underway.

OTHER RESULTS

FFC#1/2023

Tezacaftor, one of the components of Kaftrio, induces an accumulation of dihydroceramides both in vitro and in vivo in animal models

FFC#4/2023

Pseudopaline–aztreonam conjugates exhibited enhanced antimicrobial activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa compared to aztreonam alone

FFC#10/2023

Several drugs already approved for human use inhibit the growth of P. aeruginosa, its virulence, or its ability to form biofilms in vitro