Characteristics of the oropharyngeal microbiota among infants with pneumonia and their effects on immune response and subsequent respiratory morbidity.

Abstract

Diversity of the respiratory microbiota was inversely associated with pneumonia severity, and the percentage of iNKT cells was associated with wheezing during pneumonia. Several species may be associated with subsequent respiratory morbidities and warrant further investigation. •Early life airway microbiota symbiosis affects the severity of respiratory infectionand the risk for the development of asthma. •Changes in airway microbiota among infants with pneumonia and their impact onsubsequent respiratory health are largely unknown. •The diversity of the airway microbiome was inversely associated with the severityof pneumonia and length of hospitalization. •The abundance of Veillonella was higher in patients who experienced wheezingduring pneumonia and in those with subsequent recurrent wheezing.