The nasopharynx (NP) is a reservoir for microbes associated with acute respiratory
infections (ARIs). Lung inflammation resulting from ARIs during infancy is linked to asthma …

Pneumonia is the leading cause of death among children less than 5 years old worldwide. A
wide range of viral, bacterial and fungal agents can cause pneumonia: although viruses are …

The nasopharynx of children is often colonised by microorganisms such as Streptococcus
pneumoniae (the pneumococcus) that can cause infections including pneumonia and otitis …

Abstract The Generation R Study is a population-based prospective cohort study from fetal
life until adulthood. The study is designed to identify early environmental and genetic causes …

Background Understanding the composition and dynamics of the upper respiratory tract
microbiota in healthy infants is a prerequisite to investigate the role of the microbiota in …

Nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHI) is a respiratory commensal and opportunistic
pathogen, which persists within biofilms on airway mucosal surfaces. For many species …

Background Microbial colonization of the airway plays a role in the pathogenesis of asthma;
however, the effect of the upper airway microbiome on childhood asthma is not fully …

The 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV7) reduces carriage of vaccine type
Streptococcus pneumoniae but leads to replacement by nonvaccine serotypes and may …

Moraxella catarrhalis is a human-restricted opportunistic bacterial pathogen of the
respiratory mucosa. It frequently colonizes the nasopharynx asymptomatically, but is also an …

The airway epithelium is the primary site where inhaled and resident microbiota interacts
between themselves and the host, potentially playing an important role on allergic asthma …