Disordered Microbial Communities in Asthmatic Airways

Overview

Journal PLoS One

Specialties General Medicine
Science

Date 2010 Jan 7

PMID 20052417

Citations 848

Authors

Markus Hilty

Conor Burke

Helder Pedro

Paul Cardenas

Andy Bush

Cara Bossley

Jane Davies

Aaron Ervine

Len Poulter

Lior Pachter

Miriam F Moffatt

William O C Cookson

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: A rich microbial environment in infancy protects against asthma [1], [2] and infections precipitate asthma exacerbations [3]. 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 cm(2) 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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