A Longitudinal Study of the Human Oropharynx Microbiota Over Time Reveals a Common Core and Significant Variations...

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Human Microbiome Research
• Immunology

Background:

• Understanding the oropharyngeal microbiome in healthy individuals is crucial for disease insights.
• The oropharynx is a primary site for pathogen colonization.
• Limited data exists on the temporal dynamics of the healthy oropharyngeal microbiome.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize the oropharyngeal microbiome composition and stability in healthy adults over 40 weeks.
• To investigate the relationship between oropharyngeal microbiome changes and disease states.
• To define the core microbiota of the human oropharynx.

Main Methods:

• Culture-independent molecular techniques were used to analyze samples from 18 healthy adults.
• Weekly sampling over a 40-week period captured temporal variations.
• Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs) were identified to assess microbial diversity and composition.

Main Results:

• The oropharyngeal microbiome was dominated by Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, and Proteobacteria.
• High alpha diversity, evenness, and temporal stability were observed in healthy individuals.
• Significant microbiome compositional changes were associated with disease states, with distinct inter-individual variations.

Conclusions:

• The healthy oropharyngeal microbiome exhibits high diversity and temporal stability, with distinct individual profiles.
• Oropharyngeal microbiome alterations can serve as indicators of illness.
• Defining core microbiota, including shared genera like *Streptococci* and *Veillonella*, provides a baseline for health and disease dynamics.