Microbiome in Chronic Lung Diseases
Manoj J. Mammen 1, Sanjay Sethi 2
1 Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine and Department of Biomedical Informatics, Jacobs School of Medicine, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, NY, USA; 2 Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, Jacobs School of Medicine, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, and Veterans Affairs Western New York Healthcare System, Buffalo, NY, USA
*Correspondence: Manoj J. Mammen, Email not available
Abstract
Newer genetic sequencing methods confirm the presence of a lung microbiome in healthy individuals. Microbiome imbalances can contribute to disease as they disrupt normal micro-environmental stimuli for the human host. Recent studies in chronic lung disease suggest that imbalances of the lung microbiome are associated with disease pathogenesis. The most common changes in the microbiome in chronic lung diseases are a decrease in diversity and the predominance by Proteobacteria. Additional changes in the lung microbiome have been described in various diseases when the clinical state changes from stable lung disease to respiratory exacerbation. Understanding the impact of the microbiome with robust and innovative tools on chronic lung disease pathogenesis, progression and exacerbation may ultimately lead to microbiome directed therapies.
