Smoking Cessation and the Microbiome in Induced Sputum Samples from Cigarette Smoking Asthma Patients

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Asthma is a common disease causing cough, wheezing and shortness of breath. It has been shown that the lung microbiota in asthma patients is different from the lung microbiota in healthy controls suggesting that a connection between asthma and the lung microbiome exists. Individuals with asthma who are also tobacco smokers experience more severe asthma symptoms and smoking cessation is associated with improved asthma control. In the present study we investigated if smoking cessation in asthma patients is associated with a change in the bacterial community in the lungs, examined using induced sputum. We found that while tobacco smokers with asthma have a greater bacterial diversity in the induced sputum compared to non-smoking healthy controls, smoking cessation does not lead to a change in the microbial diversity.

Original languageEnglish
Article numbere0158622
JournalPloS one
Volume11
Issue number7
Pages (from-to)1-11
Number of pages11
ISSN1932-6203
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 8 Jul 2016

    Research areas

  • Journal Article

ID: 177437275