Search

Recent studies have focused attention on the composition and mechanisms of equilibrium that maintain the integrity of the respiratory microbial system of commensals and pathogens united in an ecological network. The mucosal surfaces of the different airway niches are colonized by a wide range of bacteria. The microbial profiles in the individual niches vary in quantity and quality. They are dependent on the anatomical features, humidity, aeration, acidity and the cellular composition of the respiratory epithelium. Interactions between them are subordinated to basic principles of ecology. New studies, with culture-independent methods, shed new light on the etiology and pathogenesis of respiratory diseases. Thus, the health of the respiratory tract is seen as a state of balance in a complex interconnected network of interactions between humans and microbial inhabitants, and respiratory diseases as a result of disorganization in this system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]