Airway Microbiota in Equine Asthma

摘要

The term "microbiota" refers to all the microbes (bacteria, virus, fungi) found in a habitat, organ, or surface. The role of the pulmonary microbiota in asthma is poorly defined, but there are evidences that it differs between asthmatic and healthy individuals. In many studies, however, confounding factors such as environmental conditions and medication are present, and difficult to control for.1-2 The underlying hypothesis of our work is that the pulmonary microbiota participates in maintaining a healthy lung environment by limiting the*expansion of pathogens and by modulating the innate immune system, and that microbial dysbiosis could play a role in asthma by contributing to the perpetuation of inflammation.