The development of new antibiotics is a very slow process. Only 2 new classes have become available to the market since the 1960s. This, combined with the rapid development of antibiotic resistance exhibited by bacteria mean that antibiotic resistance is a major public health concern of global scale. There is therefore, a need to explore other strategies to address this problem. Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a commonly occurring environmental micro-organism rarely causing disease in a healthy host. In patients with chronic pulmonary disease such as cystic fibrosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and bronchiectasis, P. aeruginosa represents an important pathogen which commonly causes persistent infection. Infection with P. aeruginosa in these patients is associated with a poorer outcome and a more rapid progression of lung disease. High carbon dioxide levels and low oxygen levels have been observed in the gas exchange areas of the lung in the diseases mentioned. A lot of work has been completed on the effect of low oxygen on immune function however there is a gap in knowledge on the influence, if any, that the high carbon dioxide exerts on bacterial infection. In this project we aim to examine the impact of elevated carbon dioxide on the progression of a P. aeruginosa infection. This information has the potential to improve our understanding of the adaptations P. aeruginosa makes to survive and thrive in an immunocompromised patient and could be used to direct future alternative and/or adjunct treatments of lung infection in patients suffering from these commonly occurring diseases.
