You're welcome, Tonya. (Nice work shuffling threads, btw.) This article doesn't discuss age, but it says Aspergillus is a risk factor for development of M. Abscessus. "In conclusion, severe nontuberculous mycobacterial lung disease, particularly with Mycobacterium abscessus, is becoming a perplexing challenge in cystic fibrosis patients. Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis and systemic steroids appear to be risk factors..." http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/25/2/324.full Page 4, 15% of CF patients have an NTM (again no age). http://www.hopkinscme.net/ofp/eCysticFibrosisReview/newsletters/2012/0612.pdf And the unpleasant "between a rock and a hard place" research about zithro contributing to the rise in M. Abscessus. http://www.jci.org/articles/view/46095 On a side note, my last CT scan had nodules all over the place, some "masslike." The pulmo (a CF dr) said both Aspergillus and NTMs look like this on scans. (We're doing no treatment at this point since I am feeling good and culture neg for both, but we'll do more cultures and repeat scan some time in the future.) Edited to add, I included this info because I wonder if the two are complimentary in their attack, rather than just the steroids and zithro allowing for NTMs to gain a foothold.