Bacterial Microbiota of Asthmatic Children and Preschool Wheezers' Airways-What Do We Know?

Asthma is the most chronic pulmonary disease in pediatric population, and its etiopathology still remains unclear. Both viruses and bacteria are suspected factors of disease development and are responsible for its exacerbation. Since the launch of The Human Microbiome Project, there has been an explosion of research on microbiota and its connection with various diseases. In our review, we have collected recent data about both upper- and lower-airway bacterial microbiota of asthmatic children. We have also included studies regarding preschool wheezers, since asthma diagnosis in children under 5 years of age remains challenging due to the lack of an objective tool. This paper indicates the need for further studies of microbiome and asthma, as in today's knowledge, there is no particular bacterium that discriminates the asthmatics from the healthy peers and can be used as a potential biological factor in the disease prevalence and treatment.

Automated summary

Asthma is a chronic pulmonary disease in children, and its causes are still unclear. Both viruses and bacteria are suspected to contribute to the disease. This review examines recent studies on the bacterial microbiota in the upper and lower airways of asthmatic children, as well as studies on preschool wheezers who are difficult to diagnose due to the lack of objective tools. Further research on the microbiome and asthma is needed, as currently there is no specific bacterium that can distinguish asthmatics from healthy individuals and be used as a potential biological factor in disease development and treatment.