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Microbial interactions in the respiratory tract

Timothy F Murphy1, Lauren O Bakaletz, Pierre R Smeesters

  • 1Division of Infectious Diseases, The State University of New York, Buffalo, NY, USA. murphyt@buffalo.com

The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal
|November 18, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Upper respiratory tract infections involve complex interactions between viruses and bacteria like Streptococcus pneumoniae. Understanding these interactions and bacterial biofilms is crucial for developing effective treatments and vaccines for otitis media.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Immunology
  • Otolaryngology

Background:

  • Upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs) result from interactions between viruses and commensal bacteria: Streptococcus pneumoniae, nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi), and Moraxella catarrhalis.
  • Bacterial colonization of mucosal surfaces is a critical initial step in pathogenesis.
  • These bacteria can act as opportunistic pathogens, leading to conditions like otitis media (OM).

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore the synergistic and antagonistic interactions between URT viruses and key bacterial pathogens.
  • To investigate the role of innate immune responses in modulating these microbial interactions.
  • To understand the significance of bacterial biofilms in the pathogenesis of chronic and recurrent otitis media.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of interactions between upper respiratory tract viruses and predominant bacterial pathogens (S. pneumoniae, NTHi, M. catarrhalis).
  • Examination of the influence of host innate immune responses on microbial colonization and interactions.
  • Characterization of bacterial biofilms in middle ear mucosa specimens from patients with recurrent or chronic OM.

Main Results:

  • S. pneumoniae, NTHi, and M. catarrhalis are key players in URTIs and can cause otitis media.
  • These pathogens form biofilms, often of mixed bacterial composition, on middle ear mucosa in chronic/recurrent OM.
  • Single-pathogen strategies may be insufficient due to the complex, mixed-bacterial nature of OM biofilms.

Conclusions:

  • A deeper understanding of microbial physiology, particularly biofilm formation in OM, is essential.
  • Identifying optimal intervention points in the disease course is needed for effective treatment strategies.
  • Biofilm-relevant antigenic targets are required for the rational design of novel OM vaccines.

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