Cystic fibrosis bacterial burden begins during first years of life

Cystic fibrosis shortens life by making the lungs prone to repeated bacterial infections and inflammation. Researchers have now shown for the first time that the lungs’ bacterial population changes in the first few years of life as respiratory infections and inflammation set in. This research offers a way to predict the onset of lung disease in children with CF and suggests a larger role for preventive therapies, such as hypertonic saline.