National Institute for Health Research

2 ARTICLES PUBLISHED IN JoVE

Medicine

Bronchoalveolar Lavage (BAL) for Research; Obtaining Adequate Sample Yield

Andrea M. Collins^1,2, Jamie Rylance³, Daniel G. Wootton⁴, Angela D. Wright^3,5, Adam K. A. Wright^1,3, Duncan G. Fullerton^3,6, Stephen B. Gordon³

¹Biomedical Research Centre in Microbial Diseases, National Institute for Health Research, ²Respiratory Infection Group, Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospital Trust, ³Respiratory Infection Group, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, ⁴Institute of Infection and Global Health, University of Liverpool, ⁵Comprehensive Local Research Network, Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospital Trust, ⁶Department of Respiratory Research, University Hospital Aintree

We describe a research technique for fiberoptic bronchoscopy and bronchoalveolar lavage using low pressure suction. The technique is used to harvest immune cells from the lung bronchoalveolar surfaces. Local anesthetic and mild conscious sedation (midazolam) is used. Subjects tolerate the procedure well and experience minimal side effects.

Medicine

Experimental Human Pneumococcal Carriage

Jenna F. Gritzfeld¹, Angie D. Wright^1,2,3, Andrea M. Collins^1,2,4, Shaun H. Pennington¹, Adam K.A. Wright⁵, Aras Kadioglu⁶, Daniela M. Ferreira¹, Stephen B. Gordon¹

¹Respiratory Infection Group, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, ²Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen, University Hospital Trust, ³Comprehensive Local Research Network, ⁴NIHR Biomedical Research Centre in Microbial Diseases, Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospitals NHS Trust, ⁵Institute of Lung Health, Respiratory Biomedical Unit, University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust & University of Leicester, ⁶Department of Clinical Infection Microbiology & Immunology, Institute of Infection & Global Health, University of Liverpool

Experimental human pneumococcal carriage offers a natural model of carriage and a potential model for use in vaccine development. This technique is valuable yet complex and involves clinical risk by introducing a pathogen into a human. We have developed a detailed protocol.