The role of
anaerobic bacteria in disease
progression in cystic fibrosis (CF) was studied by Webb et al. from UnitedKingdom. The authors hypothesized that
the presence and relative abundance of the most prevalent, live, anaerobic
bacteria in sputum of adults with CF were associated with adverse clinical
outcomes.
The
investigators performed 16S rRNA analysis using a viability quantitative PCR
technique on sputum samples obtained from a prospective cohort of 70 adults
with CF and collected clinical data over an 8 year follow-up period. They
examined the associations of the ten most abundant obligate anaerobic bacteria
present in the sputum with annual rate of FEV1 change. The presence of Porphyromonas
pasteri and Prevotella nanceiensis were associated with a greater
annual rate of FEV1 change. Similarly, the relative abundance of these live
organisms were associated with a greater annual rate of FEV1 decline of -3.7 ml
yr-1 and -5.3 ml yr-1 for each log 2
increment of abundance, respectively.
The authors
concluded that the presence and relative abundance of certain anaerobes in the
sputum of adults with CF are associated with a greater rate of long-term lung
function decline.
