Dogs can sniff out bacteria that is a major of cause of lung damage in people with cystic fibrosis before it takes hold, according to a study.
Research found the animals can detect ultra-low concentrations of pseudomonas, the commonest cause of lung infection in the disease.
Bio detection dogs have a very high level of accuracy when asked to identify bacteria associated with serious lung infections, research by Imperial College London and the Cystic Fibrosis Trust suggests.
A major cause of lung damage in cystic fibrosis (CF) is infection with bacterial pathogens, the most prevalent of which is pseudomonas aeruginosa (Pa).
It chronically infects about 60% of the 10,000 patients in the UK by adolescence and adulthood.