0aaee725-8bfc-4817-832b-2e79dad52563
Murine intestinal and respiratory microbiome during monocausal pneumococcal and influenza infection
With annually 2.56 million deaths worldwide, pneumonia is one of the leading causes of death.  The most  frequent causative pathogens are  Streptococcus pneumoniae  (S. pneumoniae) and influenza A virus. Lately, the interaction between pathogens, the host and its microbiome gained more attention. The microbiome is known to promote immune response towards pathogens, however, our knowledge on how infections affect the microbiome is still scarce. Here, the impact of colonization and infection with  S. pneumoniae  and   influenza   A   virus,   on   structure   and   function   of   the   respiratory   and gastrointestinal microbiomes of mice was investigated. Using a meta-omics approach we identified specific differences between the bacterial and viral infection. Pneumococcal colonization had minor effects on the taxonomic composition of the respiratory microbiome, while acute infections caused decreased microbial complexity. In contrast, richness was unaffected following H1N1 infection. Within the gastrointestinal microbiome, we found exclusive changes in structure and function depending on the pathogen.   While   pneumococcal   colonization   had   no   effects   on   taxonomic   composition   of   the gastrointestinal microbiome, increased abundance of Akkermansiaceae and Spirochaetaceae as well as decreased amounts of  Clostridiaceae were exclusively found during invasive  S. pneumoniae infection. Presence   of  Staphylococcaceae  was   specific   for   viral   pneumonia.   Investigation   of   the   intestinal microbiome ´s functional composition revealed reduced expression of flagellin and rubrerythrin and increased levels of ATPase during pneumococcal infection, while increased amounts of acetyl-CoA acetyltransferase   and,   enoyl-CoA   transferase   were   unique   after   H1N1   infection.   In   conclusion, identification   of   specific   taxonomic   and   functional   profiles   of   the   respiratory   and   gastrointestinal microbiome allowed the discrimination between bacterial and viral pneumonia.
With annually 2.56 million deaths worldwide, pneumonia is one of the leading causes of death.  The most  frequent causative pathogens are  Streptococcus pneumoniae  (S. pneumoniae) and influenza A virus. Lately, the interaction between pathogens, the host and its microbiome gained more attention. The microbiome is known to promote immune response towards pathogens, however, our knowledge on how infections affect the microbiome is still scarce. Here, the impact of colonization and infection with  S. pneumoniae  and   influenza   A   virus,   on   structure   and   function   of   the   respiratory   and gastrointestinal microbiomes of mice was investigated. Using a meta-omics approach we identified specific differences between the bacterial and viral infection. Pneumococcal colonization had minor effects on the taxonomic composition of the respiratory microbiome, while acute infections caused decreased microbial complexity. In contrast, richness was unaffected following H1N1 infection. Within the gastrointestinal microbiome, we found exclusive changes in structure and function depending on the pathogen.   While   pneumococcal   colonization   had   no   effects   on   taxonomic   composition   of   the gastrointestinal microbiome, increased abundance of Akkermansiaceae and Spirochaetaceae as well as decreased amounts of  Clostridiaceae were exclusively found during invasive  S. pneumoniae infection. Presence   of  Staphylococcaceae  was   specific   for   viral   pneumonia.   Investigation   of   the   intestinal microbiome ´s functional composition revealed reduced expression of flagellin and rubrerythrin and increased levels of ATPase during pneumococcal infection, while increased amounts of acetyl-CoA acetyltransferase   and,   enoyl-CoA   transferase   were   unique   after   H1N1   infection.   In   conclusion, identification   of   specific   taxonomic   and   functional   profiles   of   the   respiratory   and   gastrointestinal microbiome allowed the discrimination between bacterial and viral pneumonia.