%0 Journal Article %A Michelle E Wood %A Rebecca E Stockwell %A Graham R Johnson %A Kay A Ramsay %A Laura J Sherrard %A Timothy J Kidd %A Joyce Cheney %A Emma L Ballard %A Peter O’Rourke %A Nassib Jabbour %A Claire E Wainwright %A Luke D Knibbs %A Peter D Sly %A Lidia Morawska %A Scott C Bell %T Cystic fibrosis pathogens survive for extended periods within cough-generated droplet nuclei %D 2018 %R 10.1136/thoraxjnl-2018-211567 %J Thorax %P thoraxjnl-2018-211567 %X The airborne route is a potential pathway in the person-to-person transmission of bacterial strains among cystic fibrosis (CF) populations. In this cross-sectional study, we investigate the physical properties and survival of common non-Pseudomonas aeruginosa CF pathogens generated during coughing. We conclude that Gram-negative bacteria and Staphylococcus aureus are aerosolised during coughing, can travel up to 4 m and remain viable within droplet nuclei for up to 45 min. These results suggest that airborne person-to-person transmission is plausible for the CF pathogens we measured. %U https://thorax.bmj.com/content/thoraxjnl/early/2018/04/07/thoraxjnl-2018-211567.full.pdf