journey into the confines of the nasal microbiota

THE ESSENTIAL

• Since we have an intestinal and oral microbiota, we also have a nasal microbiota
• Lactobacillus casei bacteria are abundantly present in the noses of healthy people
• This bacteria could help treat chronic respiratory conditions

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The human body is a huge ecosystem where billions of microorganisms interact freely. A recent study published in Cell Reports makes us discover the incredible role of the nasal microbiota, that is to say all of the bacteria, micro-fungi and protists that reside in our nasal cavity and the role they can play in the development of respiratory diseases.

The Lactobacillus casei, a key bacteria

To learn more about this small environment, biologists from the University of Antwerp (Belgium), analyzed the bacteria present in the noses of 100 healthy people and compared them with those of the noses of 225 people. suffering frominflammationns nasal and chronic sinuses.

Result: the Lactobacillus casei, a species of bacteria belonging to the family of Lactobacillaceae, would be 3 times more present in the anterior nasal fossa and 10 times more present in the nasopharynx of healthy people, than in those who were not. More specifically, 40% of the 225 people suffering frominflammationns Nasal and chronic sinuses had no trace of this species of bacteria in the upper respiratory tract.

A track to treat chronic respiratory conditions

The Lactobacillus casei is a lactic acid bacteria found in milk, cheese and in the gastrointestinal tract of humans, pigs and birds. In addition, when found in the human body, this bacterium usually favors areas poor in oxygen, which is not the case with the nose.

By analyzing them more closely, the researchers discovered that these bacteria had mutated to adapt to this new environment and had in particular developed tiny fibers allowing them to cling to the nasal mucous membranes. “Otherwise, the bacteria would be quickly eliminated by the mucus and washing the nose ”, say the researchers.

This discovery could lead to new avenues of treatment, in particular to treat chronic respiratory diseases. “The beneficial role of lactobacilli has been widely studied in the intestinal and vaginal microbiota, but their effect in the respiratory tract remains largely unknown. The administration of probiotics specific (in the nose) could bring a new avenue of treatment in chronic respiratory diseases. ”

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