show Abstracthide AbstractAcute Exacerbation and Respiratory InfectionS in COPD (AERIS) was a longitudinal epidemiological study investigating microbiological changes in the COPD airway. Patients with COPD aged 40-85 were followed monthly for 2 years, and on event of of AECOPD. Sputum and nasopharyngeal swabs were collected. Bacterial isolates were identified by standard microbiological techniques. All isolates collected in the first year of the study from a subcohort of patients were identifed through morphology as Haemophilus and requiring growth factors haemin and nicotinamide. These were then sequenced for further characterisation.