Characteristics of Bacterial Microbiome in the Nasopharynx of Children with Bronchiolitis and its Correlation with Recurrent Wheezing

Objective This study aims to investigate the characteristics of bacterial microbiome in the nasopharynx of children with bronchiolitis and their correlation with recurrent wheezing. Methods The study enrolled children clinically diagnosed with bronchiolitis who were hospitalized in the Respiratory Department of Children's Hospital of Soochow University from October 2021 to March 2022. And we collected their demographic information, clinical data, and laboratory examinations. We collected nasopharyngeal secretions for pathogen examination and nasopharyngeal swabs for detection of nasopharyngeal bacterial microbiome using 16S rDNA sequencing analysis technology. A one-year follow-up was conducted after the children's discharge from the hospital. Based on the occurrence of recurrent wheezing, the children were classified into two groups: recurrent wheezing group and non-recurrent wheezing group. The study aimed to identify differences in pathogens, bacterial microbiome, and other aspects between the two groups. Results There are 13 cases (33.3%) of Human Rhinovirus(HRV) infection in the recurrent wheezing group, which is higher than the 7 cases (13.7%) in the non-recurrent wheezing group( χ ²  = 4.9, P  = 0.027). At the genus level, the median abundance of Moraxella in the recurrent wheezing group was 9.2% (0.43, 41%), which was higher than that in the non-recurrent wheezing group at 0.16% (0.09, 0.36%) ( Z =-6.1, P <0.001). Logistic regression analysis showed that eosinophilia count (OR = 49.76, 95% CI 1.2–2018), HRV infection (OR = 13.5, 95% CI 2.6–69), and high abundance of Moraxella catarrhalis in the nasopharynx (OR = 5.2, 95% CI 1.1-25.04) were risk factors for recurrent wheezing in children with bronchiolitis ( p -values were 0.039, 0.002, and 0.041, respectively). Conclusion HRV infection and a high abundance of Moraxella catarrhalis in the nasopharynx are risk factors for subsequent recurrent wheezing in children with bronchiolitis.