Background: Asthma exacerbations are frequently associated with respiratory viruses. The role of ... more Background: Asthma exacerbations are frequently associated with respiratory viruses. The role of bacteria is unclear yet antibiotics are often prescribed. We examined the airway microbiota during a naturally-occurring cold (NC) and experimental rhinovirus (RV) infection. Methods: Two independent studies were performed. 46 asthmatic subjects experienced natural colds. Sputum samples were taken before and during cold. A further 11 asthmatic and 12 healthy subjects were experimentally infected with RV-16. Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) was obtained at baseline and post-infection. Sputum and BAL samples underwent 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Results: In both studies, increased Neisseria sp. relative abundance following cold/ RV-16 infection was significantly associated with greater peak flow (PEF) decline (NC: R 2 = 0.16, p 2 = 0.41, p Prevotella spp. relative abundance correlated with lower PEF decline (NC: R 2 = 0.14, p 2 = 0.56, p Conclusion: A microbiota dominated by Neisseria sp. was associated with greater PEF decline in both natural cold and experimental RV-16 infection, whilst ‘commensals’ dominated ( Prevotella spp.) community correlated with better outcomes. Further work is needed to evaluate if the microbiota actively contributes to increased airway inflammation.
Background: Asthma exacerbations are frequently associated with respiratory viruses. The role of ... more Background: Asthma exacerbations are frequently associated with respiratory viruses. The role of bacteria is unclear yet antibiotics are often prescribed. We examined the airway microbiota during a naturally-occurring cold (NC) and experimental rhinovirus (RV) infection. Methods: Two independent studies were performed. 46 asthmatic subjects experienced natural colds. Sputum samples were taken before and during cold. A further 11 asthmatic and 12 healthy subjects were experimentally infected with RV-16. Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) was obtained at baseline and post-infection. Sputum and BAL samples underwent 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Results: In both studies, increased Neisseria sp. relative abundance following cold/ RV-16 infection was significantly associated with greater peak flow (PEF) decline (NC: R 2 = 0.16, p 2 = 0.41, p Prevotella spp. relative abundance correlated with lower PEF decline (NC: R 2 = 0.14, p 2 = 0.56, p Conclusion: A microbiota dominated by Neisseria sp. was associated with greater PEF decline in both natural cold and experimental RV-16 infection, whilst ‘commensals’ dominated ( Prevotella spp.) community correlated with better outcomes. Further work is needed to evaluate if the microbiota actively contributes to increased airway inflammation.
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Papers by Leah Cuthbertson