While the maternal-newborn exchange of airway microbiota is well-documented, no studies have examined within-subject relationships among the mouth, sinuses, nasopharynx and lungs and the relative abundance of bacterial taxa at those sites. Recent evidence suggests the oral cavity may serve as a reservoir for pathogens that translocate to non-oral locations; oral-associated microbes infect most other body sites as evidence by 16S sequencing. By using a combination of oral and throat swabs, together with nasal suction of mucus samples, the investigators will use metagenomic sequencing to characterize the composition of bacterial communities at each anatomical site. Beginning at birth, a time-series of swabs will be collected from each subject, and monitor changes in the development of microbiota over time. By doing so, our studies will illuminate airway trafficking of both beneficial and pathogenic microbes and may represent an essential pathophysiological step towards shifting the balance between airway health and disease.
See this in plain English?
AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.
The sinonasal cavity as a reservoir for upper airway bacterial development
Timeframe: 3 years