Smoking Promotes Pathogen Colonization and Translocation in the Respiratory Tract!

"A study from last year found that Haemophilus influenzae, a gram-negative bacteria that is responsible for infections, drives the development of COPD when combined with cigarette smoking. Also, exacerbations of COPD occur when provoked by bacterial strains from the environment. In a follow-up study, the authors wanted to further examine if cigarette smoke promotes colonization of lung pathogens in the respiratory tract and if colonization linked to inflammation. As a result of this study, researchers were able to demonstrate that cigarette smoke increased the number of H. influenzae in the upper airways while clean air did not. In addition, the presence of S. pneumoniae was enhanced in the upper respiratory tract of mice exposed to cigarette smoke and accompanied by increased translocation of S. pneumoniae in the lung.  The author's determined that cigarette negatively impacts the ability for a "host" to  control colonization of the upper respiratory tract that results in increased inflammation and the translocation of bacteria in the lungs. "

Cigarette smoke-promoted acquisition of bacterial pathogens in the upper respiratory tract leads to enhanced inflammation in mice. Respiratory research, Vol. 16, No. 1. by Meike Voss, Bodo Wonnenberg, Anja Honecker, et al. http://www.citeulike.org/user/kimberlykramer2015/article/13586550

Combined exposure to cigarette smoke and nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae drives development of a COPD phenotype in mice. Respiratory research, Vol. 15 (2014) by Shyamala Ganesan, Adam T. Comstock, Brenton Kinker, et al. http://www.citeulike.org/user/kimberlykramer2015/article/13586551