Airway Infection And The Microbiome

The use of culture-independent microbiomic analyses is expanding our view of respiratory tract infection in cystic fibrosis (CF). Recent studies demonstrate that the airways of persons with CF harbour complex polymicrobial communities. Ongoing studies are assessing how the composition and dynamics of these communities relate to clinical states and lung disease progression. Interest is now also focusing on better understanding the network of microbe-microbe and microbe-host interactions inherent in these communities. This deeper appreciation of how microbial airway communities are structured and how they function has potential to drive advances in our management of lung infection in CF.