Initial acquisition and succession of the cystic fibrosis lung microbiome is associated with disease progression in infants and preschool children

Public Deposited
Analytics

Downloadable Content

Download PDF
Request Version for Screen Reader
Creator
  • Muhlebach, M.S.
    • Affiliation: School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics
  • Zorn, B.T.
    • Affiliation: School of Medicine, Marsico Lung Institute/UNC Cystic Fibrosis Center
  • Esther, C.R.
    • Affiliation: School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics
  • Hatch, J.E.
    • Affiliation: School of Medicine, Marsico Lung Institute/UNC Cystic Fibrosis Center
  • Murray, C.P.
    • Other Affiliation: Princess Margaret Hospital for Children
  • Turkovic, L.
    • Other Affiliation: University of Western Australia
  • Ranganathan, S.C.
    • Other Affiliation: Royal Children's Hospital
  • Boucher, R.C.
    • Affiliation: School of Medicine, Marsico Lung Institute/UNC Cystic Fibrosis Center
  • Stick, S.M.
    • Other Affiliation: Princess Margaret Hospital for Children
  • Wolfgang, M.C.
    • Affiliation: School of Medicine, Marsico Lung Institute/UNC Cystic Fibrosis Center
Abstract
  • The cystic fibrosis (CF) lung microbiome has been studied in children and adults; however, little is known about its relationship to early disease progression. To better understand the relationship between the lung microbiome and early respiratory disease, we characterized the lower airways microbiome using bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) samples obtained from clinically stable CF infants and preschoolers who underwent bronchoscopy and chest computed tomography (CT). Cross-sectional samples suggested a progression of the lower airways microbiome with age, beginning with relatively sterile airways in infancy. By age two, bacterial sequences typically associated with the oral cavity dominated lower airways samples in many CF subjects. The presence of an oral-like lower airways microbiome correlated with a significant increase in bacterial density and inflammation. These early changes occurred in many patients, despite the use of antibiotic prophylaxis in our cohort during the first two years of life. The majority of CF subjects older than four harbored a pathogen dominated airway microbiome, which was associated with a further increase in inflammation and the onset of structural lung disease, despite a negligible increase in bacterial density compared to younger patients with an oral-like airway microbiome. Our findings suggest that changes within the CF lower airways microbiome occur during the first years of life and that distinct microbial signatures are associated with the progression of early CF lung disease.
Date of publication
Keyword
DOI
Identifier
Resource type
  • Article
Rights statement
  • In Copyright
License
  • Attribution 3.0 United States
Journal title
  • PLoS Pathogens
Journal volume
  • 14
Journal issue
  • 1
Language
  • English
ISSN
  • 1553-7366
Publisher
  • Public Library of Science

Relations

Parents:

This work has no parents.

In Collection:

Items

Thumbnail Title Date Uploaded Visibility Actions
file details journal.ppat.1006798.pdf 2020-09-11 Public Download