Developmental patterns in the nasopharyngeal microbiome during infancy are associated with asthma risk

Abstract

Background: Studies indicate that the nasal microbiome may correlate strongly with the presence or future risk of childhood asthma. Objectives: In this study, we tested whether developmental trajectories of the nasopharyngeal microbiome in early life and the composition of the microbiome during illnesses were related to risk of childhood asthma. Methods: Children participating in the Childhood Origins of Asthma study (N = 285) provided nasopharyngeal mucus samples in the first 2 years of life, during routine healthy study visits (at 2, 4, 6, 9, 12, 18, and 24 months of age), and during episodes of respiratory illnesses, all of which were analyzed for respiratory viruses and bacteria. We iden..