Comparative microbiome analysis in cystic fibrosis and non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasisOriginal paper
Karen Pendergrass is a microbiome researcher specializing in microbiome-targeted interventions (MBTIs). She systematically analyzes scientific literature to identify microbial patterns, develop hypotheses, and validate interventions. As the founder of the Microbiome Signatures Database, she bridges microbiome research with clinical practice. In 2012, based on her own investigative research, she became the first documented case of FMT for Celiac Disease, four years before the first published case study.
Read MoreWhat was studied?
Researchers compared lung and nasopharyngeal microbiota in cystic fibrosis (CF) bronchiectasis, non-CF bronchiectasis (NCFB), and healthy individuals. The cohort included 13 CF patients, 10 NCFB patients, and 12 healthy controls.
How was it studied?
Nasopharyngeal swabs and induced sputum were collected from all 35 subjects, and total DNA underwent shotgun metagenomic sequencing. Data were analyzed with the SqueezeMeta pipeline for taxonomy and function, and the Resistance Gene Identifier tool for resistome profiling.
What did they find?
Both disease cohorts showed reduced species diversity in sputum compared to healthy subjects, though nasopharyngeal composition stayed consistent across all three groups. The CF cohort was distinguished by Burkholderiaceae family enrichment and a higher Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio, while Staphylococcus aureus was differentially abundant in CF and Prevotella shahii in NCFB. Both disease groups also carried more antibiotic efflux resistance genes than healthy subjects, correlating with patients' clinical data.
Why it matters
Despite shared infection-driven pathology, CF and NCFB have distinct microbiome and resistome signatures rather than one uniform bronchiectasis profile. The authors conclude this supports customized, rather than one-size-fits-all, antimicrobial management for each condition.