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Benton LD, Lopez-Galvez N, Herman C, Caporaso JG, Cope EK, Rosales C, Gameros M, Lothrop N, Martínez FD, Wright AL, Carr TF, Beamer PI. Environmental and structural factors associated with bacterial diversity in household dust across the Arizona-Sonora border. Sci Rep 2024; 14:12803. [PMID: 38834753 PMCID: PMC11150412 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-63356-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2023] [Accepted: 05/28/2024] [Indexed: 06/06/2024] Open
Abstract
We previously reported that asthma prevalence was higher in the United States (US) compared to Mexico (MX) (25.8% vs. 8.4%). This investigation assessed differences in microbial dust composition in relation to demographic and housing characteristics on both sides of the US-MX Border. Forty homes were recruited in the US and MX. Home visits collected floor dust and documented occupants' demographics, asthma prevalence, housing structure, and use characteristics. US households were more likely to have inhabitants who reported asthma when compared with MX households (30% vs. 5%) and had significantly different flooring types. The percentage of households on paved roads, with flushing toilets, with piped water and with air conditioning was higher in the US, while dust load was higher in MX. Significant differences exist between countries in the microbial composition of the floor dust. Dust from Mexican homes was enriched with Alishewanella, Paracoccus, Rheinheimera genera and Intrasporangiaceae family. A predictive metagenomics analysis identified 68 significantly differentially abundant functional pathways between US and MX. This study documented multiple structural, environmental, and demographic differences between homes in the US and MX that may contribute to significantly different microbial composition of dust observed in these two countries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren D Benton
- Department of Pediatrics, Steele Children's Research Center, College of Medicine, University of Arizona Health Sciences, 1501 N. Campbell Avenue, Tucson, AZ, 85724, USA.
- Asthma and Airway Disease Research Center, University of Arizona, College of Medicine, University of Arizona Health Sciences, 1501 N. Campbell Avenue, Tucson, AZ, 85724, USA.
| | - Nicolas Lopez-Galvez
- Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona, 1295 N. Martin Ave, PO 245210, Tucson, AZ, 85724, USA
- San Diego State University Research Foundation, San Diego State University, 5250 Campanile Dr, San Diego, CA, 92182, USA
| | - Chloe Herman
- Center for Applied Microbiome Science, Pathogen and Microbiome Institute, Northern Arizona University, 1350 S Knoles Dr, Flagstaff, AZ, 86011, USA
- School of Informatics, Computing and Cyber Systems, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, USA
| | - J Gregory Caporaso
- Center for Applied Microbiome Science, Pathogen and Microbiome Institute, Northern Arizona University, 1350 S Knoles Dr, Flagstaff, AZ, 86011, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, USA
- School of Informatics, Computing and Cyber Systems, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, USA
| | - Emily K Cope
- Center for Applied Microbiome Science, Pathogen and Microbiome Institute, Northern Arizona University, 1350 S Knoles Dr, Flagstaff, AZ, 86011, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, USA
| | - Cecilia Rosales
- Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona, 1295 N. Martin Ave, PO 245210, Tucson, AZ, 85724, USA
| | - Mercedes Gameros
- Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona, 1295 N. Martin Ave, PO 245210, Tucson, AZ, 85724, USA
| | - Nathan Lothrop
- Asthma and Airway Disease Research Center, University of Arizona, College of Medicine, University of Arizona Health Sciences, 1501 N. Campbell Avenue, Tucson, AZ, 85724, USA
- Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona, 1295 N. Martin Ave, PO 245210, Tucson, AZ, 85724, USA
| | - Fernando D Martínez
- Asthma and Airway Disease Research Center, University of Arizona, College of Medicine, University of Arizona Health Sciences, 1501 N. Campbell Avenue, Tucson, AZ, 85724, USA
| | - Anne L Wright
- Asthma and Airway Disease Research Center, University of Arizona, College of Medicine, University of Arizona Health Sciences, 1501 N. Campbell Avenue, Tucson, AZ, 85724, USA
| | - Tara F Carr
- Asthma and Airway Disease Research Center, University of Arizona, College of Medicine, University of Arizona Health Sciences, 1501 N. Campbell Avenue, Tucson, AZ, 85724, USA
| | - Paloma I Beamer
- Asthma and Airway Disease Research Center, University of Arizona, College of Medicine, University of Arizona Health Sciences, 1501 N. Campbell Avenue, Tucson, AZ, 85724, USA
- Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona, 1295 N. Martin Ave, PO 245210, Tucson, AZ, 85724, USA
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Boyle RJ, Shamji MH. Developments in the field of allergy in 2020 through the eyes of Clinical and Experimental Allergy. Clin Exp Allergy 2021; 51:1531-1537. [PMID: 34750898 DOI: 10.1111/cea.14046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
While 2020 will be remembered for the global coronavirus pandemic, there were also important advances in the field of allergy. In this review article, we summarize key findings reported in Clinical and Experimental Allergy during 2020. We hope this provides readers with an accessible snapshot of the work published in our journal during this time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert J Boyle
- National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Mohamed H Shamji
- National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, UK.,NIHR Imperial Biomedical Research Centre, London, UK
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Attitudes of Croatian pulmonologists concerning obstacles to earlier, more appropriate use of biologics in severe asthma: Survey results. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0253468. [PMID: 34185809 PMCID: PMC8241034 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0253468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2021] [Accepted: 06/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
AIMS Biologics have been proven efficacious for patients with severe asthma (SA). It is essential to diagnose such individuals correctly. This study was designed to survey pulmonologists to identify barriers to early diagnosis and subsequent appropriate use of biologics for SA in Croatia. METHODS A pulmonologist group with expertise in SA developed the initial list of questions, with the final questionnaire created according to a 2-round Delphi method. The resulting survey consisted of 23 items consequently divided into 4 domains: 1) Pulmonologists' demographics and professional experiences; 2) Concerns about asthma management; 3) Attitudes toward SA diagnosis; and 4) Beliefs and attitudes regarding the use of biologics in managing SA. The given answers represented the respondents' estimates. RESULTS Eighty-four surveys were analyzed, with pulmonologists observing that general practitioners often inaccurately diagnose asthma and treat acute exacerbations. Although specialist centers are capably and correctly equipped, the time to diagnose patients with SA is approximately 3.5 months, with initial use of biologics delayed an additional 2 months. The primary indications for prescribing biologics are conventional therapy with oral glucocorticoids (91.7%) and frequent acute exacerbations (82.1%). In addition to improper diagnosis (64.3%), many patients with SA do not receive the indicated biologics owing to strict administrative directives for reimbursement (70.2%) or limited hospital resources (57.1%). LIMITATIONS The limitations of this survey include the subjective nature of the collected data, the relatively small sample size, and the lack of the biologic efficacy evaluation. CONCLUSIONS Croatian pulmonologists observed that a significant number of patients with SA who are eligible for biologics are not prescribed them, largely because of an inaccurate and/or delayed diagnosis, a delayed referral to a specialist center, highly restrictive criteria for reimbursement, and/or institutional budgetary limitations.
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Vercelli D. Microbiota and human allergic diseases: the company we keep. Curr Opin Immunol 2021; 72:215-220. [PMID: 34182271 DOI: 10.1016/j.coi.2021.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2021] [Revised: 03/27/2021] [Accepted: 06/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Environmental, maternal and early life microbial/immune networks program human developmental trajectories and health outcomes and strongly modify allergic disease risk. The effects of environmental microbiota are illustrated by the 'farm effect' (the protection against asthma and allergy conferred by growing up on a traditional farm) and other natural experiments in populations exposed to microbe-rich environments. The role of gut microbiome maturation in the asthma/allergy trajectory is demonstrated by the most recent farm studies, which identified microbial metabolites specifically associated with asthma protection, and studies in other cohorts, which defined dynamic microbial community profiles associated with allergic disease phenotypes. Current and future studies in germ-free mice associated with gut microbiota from human disease states are providing novel mechanistic insights into the role of microbiota in shaping immune function and allergic disease susceptibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donata Vercelli
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Arizona Center for the Biology of Complex Diseases and Asthma and Airway Disease Research Center, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA.
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