3 Clinical Trials for Various Conditions
The goal of this observational study is to facilitate standardized nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) outbreak investigations in healthcare centers. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Are respiratory NTM isolates identified as having membership in a suspected healthcare outbreak highly related based on whole genome sequencing? * Does epidemiologic investigation support healthcare-associated patient-to-patient NTM transmission? * Does healthcare environmental sampling support healthcare-associated NTM acquisition? If healthcare-associated NTM outbreaks are suspected, participants identified as having membership in a cluster of highly-related NTM infections will complete a demographic questionnaire.
Pulmonary NTM infection is recognized as one of the most challenging infections to treat among people with cystic fibrosis (PwCF), notable for prolonged treatment courses and often poor response to therapy. Positive cultures for NTM occur in about 20% of children and adults with cystic fibrosis (CF). However, the source of NTM infection, modes of transmission, and exposure risks are poorly understood. It is thought that NTM is primarily acquired from environmental sites including soil and water as well as water supply systems to homes, hospitals, and clinics and from aerosols generated by flowing water from taps, showers, and fountains. Nonetheless, no direct molecular link has been established between environmental NTM and respiratory CF NTM. Healthcare-associated transmission of NTM among CF patients has been suspected and is of growing concern for CF Centers worldwide. Widespread global transmission of NTM, potentially via person-to-person transmission of fomites and aerosols has been reported. The parent HALT NTM study developed and published a standardized epidemiologic outbreak toolkit for investigation of healthcare-associated NTM outbreaks in CF Care Centers. We are now moving to a prospective investigation, with the long-term goal of real-time early identification and mitigation of potential NTM outbreak investigations coupled with healthcare environmental sampling and home of residence watershed analysis of PwCF identified as belonging to an NTM cluster and receiving care at a single CF Care Center.
The purpose of this study is to determine whether T-62 is effective in providing relief of pain that can occur after an individual experiences a shingles outbreak, which is an infection in adults caused by the same virus that causes chicken pox.