Current M. abscessus infection models lack the ability to study factors such as pathogenesis, manifestation, and therapeutic efficiency in an immune competent host, which is further complicated in the context of CF, where CFTR mutant mice are hindered by their high susceptibility to life-threatening intestinal obstruction, short life span and failure to develop spontaneous lung disease (16, 17). Here, CFTR is linked to cystic fibrosis.