Nasal microbiota dominated by Moraxella spp. is associated with respiratory health in the elderly population: a case control study

• Published in: Respiratory research 2020-07, Vol.21 (1), p.1-181, Article 181
• Main Authors: van den Munckhof, Ellen H.A, Hafkamp, Harriet C, de Kluijver, Josephine, Kuijper, Ed J, de Koning, Maurits N.C, Quint, Wim G.V, Knetsch, Cornelis W
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adaptive immunity; Age; Antibiotics; Asthma; Bacteria; Demographic aspects; Elderly; Health aspects; Hospitalization; Infections; Microbiota; Microbiota (Symbiotic organisms); Moraxella; Nasal fossa; Nasal passages; Nose; Older people; Oropharynx; Otolaryngology; Outpatient care facilities; Patients; Pneumonia; Population studies; Respiratory tract; Respiratory tract diseases; Respiratory tract infection; Respiratory tract infections; Risk factors; rRNA 16S; Software; Statistical analysis; Testing
• ISSN: 1465-993X; 1465-9921; 1465-993X; 1465-9921
• DOI: 10.1186/s12931-020-01443-8

Background The elderly ([greater than or equai to]65 years) are one of the populations most at risk for respiratory tract infections (RTIs). The aim of this study was to determine whether nasal and/or oropharyngeal microbiota profiles are associated with age and RTIs. Methods Nasal and oropharyngeal swabs of 152 controls and 152 patients with an RTI were included. The latter group consisted of 72 patients with an upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) and 80 with a lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI). Both nasal and oropharyngeal swabs were subjected to microbiota profiling using amplicon sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene. Moraxella species were determined using quantitative real-time PCR and culture. Results Based on the microbiota profiles of the controls and the patients with an RTI, eight nasal and nine oropharyngeal microbiota clusters were defined. Nasal microbiota dominated by either Moraxella catarrhalis or Moraxella nonliquefaciens was significantly more prevalent in elderly compared to mid-aged adults in the control group (p = 0.002). Dominance by M. catarrhalis/nonliquefaciens was significantly less prevalent in elderly with an LRTI (p = 0.001) compared to controls with similar age. Conclusions Nasal microbiota dominated by M. catarrhalis/nonliquefaciens is associated with respiratory health in the elderly population. Keywords: Elderly, Microbiota, Nasal passages, Oropharynx, Respiratory tract infection