Seasonal variation of respiratory pathogen colonization in asymptomatic health care professionals: A single-center, cross-sectional, 2-season observational study
Authors: Hassoun, A., Huff, M.D., Weisman, D., Chahal, K., Asis, E., Stalons, D., Grigorenko, E., Green, J., Malone, L.L., Clemmons, S., Lu, S.,
Within healthy subjects, the upper respiratory tract fosters a complex, commensal microbiome.1, 2 However, introduction of a foreign bacterial or viral organism into the microbiologic community may disrupt normal intercellular relationships resulting in an imbalanced ecosystem.1, 2, 3 The detailed mechanisms that drive these complex interactions are largely unknown; consequently, it is difficult to predict the behavior of this highly nonlinear system. Downstream consequences can be influenced by activities of other organisms, use of antimicrobials, or the host's immune response.1 In immunocompromised subjects, such as neonates, elderly adults, and patients undergoing chemotherapy, the addition of an unfamiliar pathogen can offset the delicate equilibrium and increase the likelihood of pathogenic invasion...View More
