Children's nose is a sign of serious lung infections

A new study found that examining bacteria and viruses in children's noses could provide clues for improving the diagnosis and treatment of serious lung infections.

Pulmonary infections are a leading cause of death in children under five worldwide.

The study found that the composition of bacteria and viruses was altered in the nose of children with respiratory infections.

The researchers say the study helps explain why some children are more prone to developing infections than others.

This could also be essential to prevent serious lung infections.

Researchers at the University of Edinburgh found that the differences indicated the severity of the disease and could help doctors predict how long the child will need to stay in the hospital.

They said that in less severe cases, this could reduce the need for antibiotics and help some children recover naturally.

& # 39; vital indicator & # 39;

Teacher. Debby Bogaert, of the Center for Research on Inflammation of the Medical Research Council of the University of Edinburgh, who led the study, said: "Pulmonary infections can be extremely severe in children and babies and are very distressing for parents.

"Our results show for the first time that the total microbial community of the respiratory tract – rather than a single virus or bacterium – is an essential indicator of respiratory health.

"It could really have an impact on how doctors diagnose lower respiratory tract infections and use valuable antibiotics to fight infections."

LRTIs include pneumonia and bronchiolitis.

Researchers from the University of Edinburgh worked with teams in the Netherlands to collect samples from more than 150 children under six years old hospitalized with an LRTI. They then compared these samples with those of 300 healthy children.

They found that the microbiome of hospitalized children, bacteria and viruses found in the back of the nose and throat, were linked to those of the lungs, which facilitated the understanding and diagnosis of the infection.

The study is published in the journal The Lancet Respiratory Medicine.