Topographical continuity of bacterial populations in the healthy human respiratory tract.

ABSTRACT:

Rationale

Defining the biogeography of bacterial populations in human body habitats is a high priority for understanding microbial-host relationships in health and disease. The healthy lung was traditionally considered sterile, but this notion has been challenged by emerging molecular approaches that enable comprehensive examination of microbial communities. However, studies of the lung are challenging due to difficulties in working with low biomass samples.

Objectives

Our goal was to use molecular methods to define the bacterial microbiota present in the lungs of healthy individuals and assess its relationship to upper airway populations.

Methods

We sampled respiratory flora intensively at multiple sites in six healthy individuals. The upper tract was sampled by oral

SUBMITTER: Charlson ES 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3208663 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature