A practical guide to the diagnosis and management of suspected Non-tuberculous Mycobacterial Pulmonary Disease (NTM-PD) in the United Kingdom.

Non-tuberculous Mycobacterial Pulmonary Disease (NTM-PD) is a chronic disease characterised by progressive inflammatory lung damage due to infection by non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM). Global prevalence of NTM-PD is generally low but is rising, likely due to a combination of increased surveillance, increasing multimorbidity and improved diagnostic techniques. Most disease is caused by Mycobacterium avium complex species.

Prospective piperacillin lymphocyte transformation testing in patients with cystic fibrosis receiving regular and desensitization courses of piperacillin-tazobactam.

Background: Piperacillin-tazobactam is used in patients with cystic fibrosis to treat recurrent respiratory infections. Exposure is associated with a high frequency of non-immediate hypersensitivity.

Objective: To assess the applicability of the lymphocyte transformation test (LTT) for the diagnosis of piperacillin hypersensitivity and the influence of desensitization on piperacillin-specific T-cell responses.