In a recent study published in the journal Cell , a team of researchers in the Netherlands analyzed nasopharyngeal, oropharyngeal, and saliva samples across various age groups and analyzed the microbial composition of these samples to determine the association between the microbiota in the upper respiratory tract and the health of the host and environmental factors. Background A large body of evidence now proves that the microbial communities within the human body play a vital role in human health and disease. However, a substantial portion of the research on the role of microbiota in health has focused on the gut microbiome .
Studies have shown that the microbiome of the upper respiratory tract is strongly linked to respiratory health and plays an important role in determining susceptibility to respiratory infections. The upper respiratory tract microbiota also influences susceptibility to chronic respiratory conditions, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, and cardiovascular diseases. The diverse environments within the respiratory tract provide a variety of ecological niches for microbial communities, which in turn act as a barrier to pathogens and interact with the immune system in the mucosal membranes to protect the respiratory system.
About the study In the present study, the researchers analyzed the microbiome composition and diversity from nasopharyngeal, oropharyngeal, and saliva samples from a cross-section of the Dutch population to characteriz.