Alteration of the Airway Microbiota is Associated with the Progression of Post-COVID-19 Chronic Cough in Adults

Cough is one of the most common symptoms observed in patients presenting with COVID-19, persisting for an extended duration following SARS-CoV-2 infection. We hypothesized that dynamic alterations in the airway microbiota could lead to the progression of post-COVID-19 chronic cough. We recruited 57 patients experiencing persistent cough after infection during the Omicron wave of SARS-CoV-2 in China following the abandonment of the Zero-COVID-19 policy. Detailed clinical data was obtained, and airway microbiota profiling was assessed in nasopharyngeal swab, nasal lavage, and induced sputum samples collected from them at 4 and 8 weeks after SARS-CoV-2 infection, respectively.