Upper Airway Microbial Development During the First Year of Life

With the prevalence of asthma increasing each decade, our focus has shifted from treatment to understanding the pathogenesis of asthma so we may develop methods of prevention. With the advent of new bacterial detection techniques, we have the opportunity to examine the infant microbiome prior to the development of wheezing and subsequent asthma. Based on our knowledge that certain bacteria are associated with recurrent wheezing, we believe that an increase in pathogenic bacteria alters the airway epithelium resulting in airway inflammation. This chronic inflammation leads to airway obstruction, resulting in recurrent wheezing. By prospectively following children up to two years we have the opportunity to determine if changes seen in early infancy are established early and persist until 2 years of age. In addition, we propose to determine if the microbiome contributes to airway obstruction and episodes of wheezing with respiratory illness. This study tests the hypothesis that an increase in pathogenic bacteria within the infant airway leads to increased airway inflammation, decreased airway function and ultimately airway obstruction throughout the first one to two years of life. The study has 3 Cohorts: Cohort 1: Newborns with asthmatic mothers with enrollment from May 7, 2014 to June 1, 2016. Newborns from this cohort meet the below inclusion and exclusion criteria, however they follow a study visit schedule that follows them for 18 months (+/- 6 months). Cohort 2: Newborns with asthmatic mothers with enrollment from June 2, 2016 going forward. Newborns from this cohort meet the below inclusion and exclusion criteria, however they follow a study visit schedule that follows them for 12 months (+/- 2 months). Cohort 3: Newborns with healthy parents without atopy from June 2, 2016 going forward. Newborns from this cohort meet the below inclusion and exclusion criteria, however they follow a study visit schedule that follows them for 12 months (+/- 2 months). Once enrolled, study procedures will consist of: collection of nasal swabs and fluid, stool specimens, and throat swabs, at enrollment visit (first week of life), 3-5 weeks of age (Visit 2), 3-5 months (Visit 3), and 12 months +/- 2 months (Visit 4); blood draw at Visits 3 and 4; spirometry will be performed at Visits 2, 3 and 4: non-sedated infant pulmonary function tests will be conducted at all visits for all cohorts; at Visits 3 and 4, sedated infant pulmonary function tests are optional for Cohorts 1 and 2 only. Finally, surveys will be completed about every two months starting at about two months, then four weeks after Visit 3, and about every 8 weeks until Visit 4, to review infection history, medication (including antibiotics) history and wheezing history.