A study by researchers from the University of Manchester found that chemically analyzing breath specimens from patients in intensive care can reveal bacterial infection in the lower respiratory tract of ventilated patients at risk of developing pneumonia.

Although the work is in its early stages, the findings so far look very exciting and could potentially have a huge effect on clinical practice as healthcare associated infections are a major issue worldwide.

The unique ‘first in man’ project was carried out at Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust, The University of Manchester Centre for Respiratory Medicine and Allergy, and the Manchester Institute of Biotechnology (MIB) and was a proof-of-concept study that has provided significant evidence leading to a larger research programme involving patients across Greater Manchester.

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