Figure 4. Cystic fibrosis exacerbations lack key features of bacterial infections.

A: CF patients' clinical response to antibiotic therapy is not correlated with the in vitro susceptibility of organisms cultured from sputum at the onset of exacerbation. B: Bacterial density in sputum does not increase prior to or at the onset of exacerbation. C: Sputum bacterial community diversity is not lower during exacerbation compared to clinical baseline. A: Reproduced from Hurley and colleagues⁹³. B: Reproduced from Stressmann and colleagues¹⁰². C: Reproduced from Carmody and colleagues¹⁰¹.