Survival ofMycobacterium abscessusisolated from people with cystic fibrosis in artificially generated aerosols

Non-tuberculous mycobacterium (NTM) are increasingly found in the sputum of people with cystic fibrosis (CF), both in Europe and North America [1]. Specifically, Mycobacterium abscessus has emerged as a potentially important pathogen, with evidence of accelerated lung function decline [2]. Studies from two CF centres have found evidence of cross-infection between individuals with CF [3, 4], whereas studies from other centres have not replicated this finding [5–7]. M. abscessus has been isolated from household water and has been previously isolated from shower aerosols of people with pulmonary NTM disease [8, 9]. M. abscessus survives aerosolisation suggesting airborne transmission between people with CF may occur