Study of the airway microbiota in the early stages of infection in cystic fibrosis

Aim. The objective of this study was to identify predictive biomarkers of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Pa) infection.Methods. Thirty-four CF patients were followed and divided into 2 groups; one group infected by Pa during the follow-up, and the other group which remained uninfected. The respiratory tract microbiota from 65 sputum samples was analyzed through 16S rRNA gene sequencing and RT-PCR screening of 18 respiratory viruses, taking into account potential host factors involved in the lung disease progression.Findings. Porphyromonas species, as enriched phylotypes in patients uninfected by Pa (p-value < 0.001), was biomarker of a non-permissive airway microbiota. Porphyromonas and other genera (Selenomonas, Leptotrichia, Parvimonas, Atopobium and Bifidobacterium) were also statistically more abundant in male patients.