Commensal bacteria in the upper respiratory tract regulate susceptibility to infection

Abstract

The human body is host to several distinct microbial communities. Disruption of these communities increases susceptibility to a wide range of diseases, including respiratory tract infections. While commensal bacteria in the gut contribute to this effect, recent studies point to a role for commensals occupying the upper respiratory tract through direct pathogen killing and by modifying nasal and lung immune homeostasis. Clinical trials exploring ‘probiotic’ respiratory tract commensals are an exciting development in this area. Upper respiratory tract microbiome sequencing has revealed that destabilization of this community precedes infection, indicating that microbiome profiling of individuals has predictive value. Further investigation of respiratory tract commensal–host interactions will be critical to translate bacterial-mediated protection toward new therapeutic approaches for respiratory tract disease.