Attending community-based lung cancer screening influences smoking behaviour in deprived populations.

Objectives: The impact of lung cancer screening on smoking is unclear, especially in deprived populations who are underrepresented in screening trials. The aim of this observational cohort study was to investigate whether a community-based lung cancer screening programme influenced smoking behaviour and smoking attitude in socio-economically deprived populations.

Material And Methods: Ever-smokers, age 55-74, registered at participating General Practices were invited to a community-based Lung Health Check (LHC).

Volume dependency for culture of fungi from respiratory secretions and increased sensitivity of Aspergillus quantitative PCR.

Diagnosis of aspergillosis is often difficult. We compared fungal yields from respiratory specimens using the Health Protection Agency standard culture method (BSOP57), a higher volume undiluted culture method Mycology Reference Centre Manchester (MRCM) and Aspergillus quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Sputum, bronchial aspirate and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) samples (total 23) were collected from aspergillosis patients.

High-frequency triazole resistance found In nonculturable Aspergillus fumigatus from lungs of patients with chronic fungal disease.

Background: Oral triazole therapy is well established for the treatment of invasive (IPA), allergic (ABPA), and chronic pulmonary (CPA) aspergillosis, and is often long-term. Triazole resistance rates are rising internationally. Microbiological diagnosis of aspergillosis is limited by poor culture yield, leading to uncertainty about the frequency of triazole resistance.