Upper Airway Microbiota Relates to Season and Asthma Exacerbations

Seasonal variation in respiratory illness and exacerbation pediatric populations with asthma is well described but poorly understood. We hypothesized that nasal microbiota covaries seasonal clinical trends season-specific microbial-host interactions during influence risk of exacerbation. Bacterial (16S rRNA) fungal (ITS2) profiling was performed on longitudinally collected secretion samples from children periods pulmonary health (Baseline, n=94 samples) their first subsequent (n=97). Data were analyzed conjunction extant transcriptional modules using R. Generalized linear (mixed) models utilized to identify differences incidence or composition (P<0.05). Exacerbation events co-varied similarly season [Generalized Additive Mixed Models (GAMM) P=0.039, P=<0.001, respectively]. So too did upper airway bacterial Model (GAM) P=0.001 baseline, P=0.016 illness] (GAM P=0.006 illness) detection Human Rhinovirus P=0.012 Baseline, P=0.003 illness). In baseline adjusted for season, time Illness related the presence Staphylococcus Corynebacterium which delayed events, Haemophilus, associated more imminent age analysis, between exacerbation-associated SMAD3 module a network primarily comprised Streptococcus Haemophilus increased (OR=14.71, P=0.02). Upper co-vary Specific at