Journal Article

Changes in the respiratory microbiome during acute exacerbations of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

Cookson, William O. C., Moffatt, Miriam F., Maher, Toby M., Kim, Ho Cheol, Kim, Dong Soon, Cox, Michael J, Wells, Athol U., Ji, Wonjun, Molyneaux, Philip L.

2017

Overview

Acute exacerbations of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (AE-IPF) have been defined as events of clinically significant respiratory deterioration with an unidentifiable cause. They carry a significant mortality and morbidity and while their exact pathogenesis remains unclear, the possibility remains that hidden infection may play a role. The aim of this pilot study was to determine whether changes in the respiratory microbiota occur during an AE-IPF. Bacterial DNA was extracted from bronchoalveolar lavage from patients with stable IPF and those experiencing an AE-IPF. A hyper-variable region of the 16S ribosomal RNA gene (16S rRNA) was amplified, quantified and pyrosequenced. Culture independent techniques demonstrate AE-IPF is associated with an increased BAL bacterial burden compared to stable disease and highlight shifts in the composition of the respiratory microbiota during an AE-IPF.

• Publisher: BioMed Central,BioMed Central Ltd,Nature Publishing Group
• Subject: Acute Disease / Aged / Bacteria - classification / Bacteria - genetics / Bacteria - isolation & purification / Bacterial infections / Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid - microbiology / Care and treatment / Female / Health aspects / Humans / Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis - microbiology / Influence / Letter to the Editor / Lung - microbiology / Male / Medicine / Medicine & Public Health / Microbiota (Symbiotic organisms) / Microbiota - genetics / Patient outcomes / Pneumology/Respiratory System / Pulmonary fibrosis / Recurrence / Ribosomal RNA / Species Specificity