[HTML][HTML] Disordered microbial communities in asthmatic airways

M Hilty, C Burke, H Pedro, P Cardenas, A Bush… - PloS one, 2010 - journals.plos.org
M Hilty, C Burke, H Pedro, P Cardenas, A Bush, C Bossley, J Davies, A Ervine, L Poulter…
PloS one, 2010journals.plos.org
Background A rich microbial environment in infancy protects against asthma, and infections
precipitate asthma exacerbations. We compared the airway microbiota at three levels in
adult patients with asthma, the related condition of COPD, and controls. We also studied
bronchial lavage from asthmatic children and controls. Principal Findings We identified
5,054 16S rRNA bacterial sequences from 43 subjects, detecting> 70% of species present.
The bronchial tree was not sterile, and contained a mean of 2,000 bacterial genomes per …
Background
A rich microbial environment in infancy protects against asthma , and infections precipitate asthma exacerbations . We compared the airway microbiota at three levels in adult patients with asthma, the related condition of COPD, and controls. We also studied bronchial lavage from asthmatic children and controls.
Principal Findings
We identified 5,054 16S rRNA bacterial sequences from 43 subjects, detecting >70% of species present. The bronchial tree was not sterile, and contained a mean of 2,000 bacterial genomes per cm2 surface sampled. Pathogenic Proteobacteria, particularly Haemophilus spp., were much more frequent in bronchi of adult asthmatics or patients with COPD than controls. We found similar highly significant increases in Proteobacteria in asthmatic children. Conversely, Bacteroidetes, particularly Prevotella spp., were more frequent in controls than adult or child asthmatics or COPD patients.
Significance
The results show the bronchial tree to contain a characteristic microbiota, and suggest that this microbiota is disturbed in asthmatic airways.
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