'The Microbiome and the Pathophysiology of Asthma'.

Ashley Sullivan,Desmond M Murphy,Eoin Hunt,John Macsharry

doi:10.1186/s12931-016-0479-4

Abstract

Asthma is a chronic respiratory disease whose prevalence is increasing in the western world. Recently research has begun to focus on the role the microbiome plays in asthma pathogenesis in the hope of further understanding this respiratory disorder. Considered sterile until recently, the lungs have revealed themselves to contain a unique microbiota. A shift towards molecular methods for the quantification and sequencing of microbial DNA has revealed that the airways harbour a unique microbiota with apparent, reproducible differences present between healthy and diseased lungs. There is a hope that in classifying the microbial load of the asthmatic airway an insight may be afforded as to the possible role pulmonary microbes may have in propagating an asthmatic airway response. This could potentially pave the way for new therapeutic strategies for the treatment of chronic lung conditions such as asthma.

Highlights

Asthma has seen a staggering rise in prevalence in recent years with more than 300 million people worldwide believed to be affected by this chronic respiratory disorder [1,2,3]
The burden of asthma is felt globally, it is in developed countries that asthma has come to the fore as a health care concern [4] where the incidence rate of asthma and in particular adult onset asthma has risen so dramatically that this respiratory disorder has reached epidemic proportions [5]
It is clear that the lung contains a smaller bacterial burden than in the upper respiratory tract there is a distinct microbiota present in the lower airways of healthy individuals [11]. This finding that the lungs harbour a unique microbiota irrespective of health or Sullivan et al Respiratory Research (2016) 17:163 disease has led to the surge of research taking place in an effort to categorise the distinct microbiota of the diseased lung and that of the healthy lung [12]

Summary

Introduction

Asthma has seen a staggering rise in prevalence in recent years with more than 300 million people worldwide believed to be affected by this chronic respiratory disorder [1,2,3]. It is clear that the lung contains a smaller bacterial burden than in the upper respiratory tract there is a distinct microbiota present in the lower airways of healthy individuals [11]. A change in the microbial composition of the lower airway microbiota may be connected with chronic lung disease such as asthma [2, 13].

Results

Conclusion