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Atto B, Anteneh Y, Bialasiewicz S, Binks MJ, Hashemi M, Hill J, Thornton RB, Westaway J, Marsh RL. The Respiratory Microbiome in Paediatric Chronic Wet Cough: What Is Known and Future Directions. J Clin Med 2023; 13:171. [PMID: 38202177 PMCID: PMC10779485 DOI: 10.3390/jcm13010171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2023] [Revised: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Chronic wet cough for longer than 4 weeks is a hallmark of chronic suppurative lung diseases (CSLD), including protracted bacterial bronchitis (PBB), and bronchiectasis in children. Severe lower respiratory infection early in life is a major risk factor of PBB and paediatric bronchiectasis. In these conditions, failure to clear an underlying endobronchial infection is hypothesised to drive ongoing inflammation and progressive tissue damage that culminates in irreversible bronchiectasis. Historically, the microbiology of paediatric chronic wet cough has been defined by culture-based studies focused on the detection and eradication of specific bacterial pathogens. Various 'omics technologies now allow for a more nuanced investigation of respiratory pathobiology and are enabling development of endotype-based models of care. Recent years have seen substantial advances in defining respiratory endotypes among adults with CSLD; however, less is understood about diseases affecting children. In this review, we explore the current understanding of the airway microbiome among children with chronic wet cough related to the PBB-bronchiectasis diagnostic continuum. We explore concepts emerging from the gut-lung axis and multi-omic studies that are expected to influence PBB and bronchiectasis endotyping efforts. We also consider how our evolving understanding of the airway microbiome is translating to new approaches in chronic wet cough diagnostics and treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brianna Atto
- School of Health Sciences, University of Tasmania, Launceston, TAS 7248, Australia;
| | - Yitayal Anteneh
- Child and Maternal Health Division, Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, NT 0811, Australia; (Y.A.); (M.J.B.); (J.W.)
| | - Seweryn Bialasiewicz
- Australian Centre for Ecogenomics, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia;
| | - Michael J. Binks
- Child and Maternal Health Division, Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, NT 0811, Australia; (Y.A.); (M.J.B.); (J.W.)
- SAHMRI Women and Kids, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia
| | - Mostafa Hashemi
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada; (M.H.); (J.H.)
| | - Jane Hill
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada; (M.H.); (J.H.)
- Spire Health Technology, PBC, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Ruth B. Thornton
- Centre for Child Health Research, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA 6009, Australia;
- Wesfarmers Centre of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases, Telethon Kids Institute, Perth, WA 6009, Australia
| | - Jacob Westaway
- Child and Maternal Health Division, Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, NT 0811, Australia; (Y.A.); (M.J.B.); (J.W.)
- Centre for Tropical Bioinformatics and Molecular Biology, James Cook University, Cairns, QLD 4811, Australia
| | - Robyn L. Marsh
- School of Health Sciences, University of Tasmania, Launceston, TAS 7248, Australia;
- Child and Maternal Health Division, Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, NT 0811, Australia; (Y.A.); (M.J.B.); (J.W.)
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Abedon ST. Automating Predictive Phage Therapy Pharmacology. Antibiotics (Basel) 2023; 12:1423. [PMID: 37760719 PMCID: PMC10525195 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics12091423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2023] [Revised: 09/02/2023] [Accepted: 09/03/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Viruses that infect as well as often kill bacteria are called bacteriophages, or phages. Because of their ability to act bactericidally, phages increasingly are being employed clinically as antibacterial agents, an infection-fighting strategy that has been in practice now for over one hundred years. As with antibacterial agents generally, the development as well as practice of this phage therapy can be aided via the application of various quantitative frameworks. Therefore, reviewed here are considerations of phage multiplicity of infection, bacterial likelihood of becoming adsorbed as a function of phage titers, bacterial susceptibility to phages also as a function of phage titers, and the use of Poisson distributions to predict phage impacts on bacteria. Considered in addition is the use of simulations that can take into account both phage and bacterial replication. These various approaches can be automated, i.e., by employing a number of online-available apps provided by the author, the use of which this review emphasizes. In short, the practice of phage therapy can be aided by various mathematical approaches whose implementation can be eased via online automation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen T Abedon
- Department of Microbiology, The Ohio State University, Mansfield, OH 44906, USA
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Ioannou P, Baliou S, Samonis G. Bacteriophages in Infectious Diseases and Beyond-A Narrative Review. Antibiotics (Basel) 2023; 12:1012. [PMID: 37370331 PMCID: PMC10295561 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics12061012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2023] [Revised: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 06/03/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The discovery of antibiotics has revolutionized medicine and has changed medical practice, enabling successful fighting of infection. However, quickly after the start of the antibiotic era, therapeutics for infectious diseases started having limitations due to the development of antimicrobial resistance. Since the antibiotic pipeline has largely slowed down, with few new compounds being produced in the last decades and with most of them belonging to already-existing classes, the discovery of new ways to treat pathogens that are resistant to antibiotics is becoming an urgent need. To that end, bacteriophages (phages), which are already used in some countries in agriculture, aquaculture, food safety, and wastewater plant treatments, could be also used in clinical practice against bacterial pathogens. Their discovery one century ago was followed by some clinical studies that showed optimistic results that were limited, however, by some notable obstacles. However, the rise of antibiotics during the next decades left phage research in an inactive status. In the last decades, new studies on phages have shown encouraging results in animals. Hence, further studies in humans are needed to confirm their potential for effective and safe treatment in cases where there are few or no other viable therapeutic options. This study reviews the biology and applications of phages for medical and non-medical uses in a narrative manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Petros Ioannou
- School of Medicine, University of Crete, 71003 Heraklion, Greece
- Internal Medicine Department, University Hospital of Heraklion, 71110 Heraklion, Greece
| | - Stella Baliou
- School of Medicine, University of Crete, 71003 Heraklion, Greece
| | - George Samonis
- School of Medicine, University of Crete, 71003 Heraklion, Greece
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