New insights into lung infections in pulmonary fibrosis

The recipients of the APF Conference Awards were: Dr Jack Evans - Respiratory registrar and clinical research fellow at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust and Dr David Smith - Trainee in respiratory medicine and a PhD student at the National Heart and Lung Institute at Imperial College London.

Dr Jack Evans: Clinician’s opinions on starting treatment for opportunistic infection prevention in ILD (STOP-ILD study)  

Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP) is a serious type of lung infection that can be life-threatening, especially for individuals undergoing long-term immunosuppressive therapy. This is particularly important for patients with PF as the condition can require the use of medications that suppress the immune system, making them more vulnerable to infections like PCP.  

Working with specialists from across the UK, Dr. Evans discovered areas of consensus and differences in opinion on how to prevent PCP. He plans to use these findings to design a larger clinical trial to investigate the benefits of using preventative antibiotics in specific contexts for people with PF who are undergoing immunosuppressive therapies. Dr. Evans hopes this will inform clinical guidelines to help healthcare professionals better prevent infections like PCP in people with PF.  

Reflecting on the event, Dr. Evans said: ‍

Many thanks for your conference award providing me with a grant to attend the British Thoracic Society meeting. It was extremely beneficial, and I had the opportunity to network with other colleagues driving research for people with pulmonary fibrosis.

Dr David Smith: The post-COVID lung microbiome resembles that of healthy volunteers. Insights from the post-COVID-19 interstitial lung disease (POSTCODE) study

After battling COVID-19, many people experience longer-term health issues, with about 11% seeing lasting changes in their lung function. We don’t currently know whether these lung changes will heal over time or potentially lead to more serious conditions like lung scarring.  

Researchers have found that people with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) tend to have different types of bacteria in their lungs compared to those without lung damage. Dr. Smith’s research investigated whether the bacteria in the lungs of people with lung changes due to COVID, known as residual lung abnormalities (RLA), also show similar changes.  

Dr. Smith found that people with long-term lung issues after COVID-19 have lung bacteria that is quite similar to those found in healthy individuals. This is in contrast to people with PF, where significant changes in lung bacteria are often found. This surprising result provides some reassurance that people with post-COVID-19 lung changes might not face long-term lung scarring.  

Gaining a clearer understanding of these differences could pave the way for more tailored treatments for those recovering from COVID-19 and could lead to a better quality of life for individuals at risk of developing lung fibrosis.  

Speaking about the event, Dr. Smith said:

‍I'm very grateful for the support from Action for Pulmonary Fibrosis, which allowed me to attend the conference. The connections I made and insights I gained will significantly influence my career and research direction. I plan to use the feedback from my talk to refine my research and ensure it has the biggest possible impact on patient living with lung disease.

Our Conference Awards are making a difference for people affected by PF. The awards support students, early career researchers, and healthcare professionals across the UK, giving them the opportunity to present their vital research on lung scarring at scientific conferences. By sharing these important findings on a global scale, we’re helping to advance knowledge, improve skills, and build connections between the scientific community and those living with PF. Together, we’re paving the way for meaningful progress and brighter futures.  

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