Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40742667›Full record

ArticleWorld journal of pediatrics : WJP2025

Characteristics of the microbiota in the nasopharynx and nasal cavity of healthy children before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Min Liang, Wen-Jin Wu, Lei Li, Huan Qin, Shu-Na Li, Gui-Liang Zheng, Dong-Ming Hou, Qi Huang, Lan Cheng, Hui-Qun Jie and 4 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in World journal of pediatrics : WJP, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

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0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

14 authors.

Min LiangDepartment of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
Wen-Jin WuDepartment of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
Lei LiDepartment of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
Huan QinDepartment of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
Shu-Na LiDepartment of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
Gui-Liang ZhengDepartment of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
Dong-Ming HouDepartment of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
Qi HuangDepartment of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
Lan ChengDepartment of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
Hui-Qun JieDepartment of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
Jing-Rong LuDepartment of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
Jing-Chun HeDepartment of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China. hejingchun@xinhuamed.com.cn.
Jun YangDepartment of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China. yangjun@xinhuamed.com.cn.
Wei WeiDepartment of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China. weiwei8319@xinhuamed.com.cn.ORCID 0000-0002-8696-1966

Funding

National Key R&D Program of China 2024YFC2511100National Natural Science Foundation of China 81800903National Natural Science Foundation of China 81970881National Natural Science Foundation of China 82171135National Natural Science Foundation of China 82271160National Natural Science Foundation of China 82371140Science and Technology Innovation Plan Of Shanghai Science and Technology Commission 21Y31900504
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundMicrobial colonization in the nasopharynx and nasal cavity plays a defensive role in children. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic may have an influence on the nasopharynx and nasal cavity microbiota. This study aimed to identify and compare the microbiota in the nasopharynx and nasal cavity before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in a healthy pediatric population.

methodsSeparate mucosal swabs were collected from the nasopharynx and nasal cavity of healthy children before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. A 16S ribosomal RNA-based metagenomic approach was employed to characterize and analyze alterations in the nasopharyngeal and nasal microbiota to determine whether isolation measures, such as mask wearing, influence microbial ecology.

resultsThe richness and diversity of the nasopharyngeal and nasal microbiota decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic compared with before the pandemic. Firmicutes and Proteobacteria were the most abundant phyla in the nasopharyngeal and nasal microbiota, respectively, both before and during the pandemic. Corynebacterium and Moraxella were the dominant genera in the nasopharyngeal and nasal microbiota during the COVID-19 pandemic, whereas Pseudomonas and Corynebacterium were dominant before the pandemic. Compared with pre-pandemic conditions, microbial colonization differed significantly for Cyanobacteria/Chloroplast and Bacteroidetes in the nasopharynx and for Planctomycetes in the nasal cavity during the COVID-19 pandemic.

conclusionsThis study revealed a lower microbiota diversity during COVID-19, possibly accompanied by microbiota dysbiosis, increased risk of respiratory infections and inflammatory responses in healthy children. This study underscores the importance of reestablishing microbiota balance and highlights the need for personalized treatment and prophylactic strategies in routine public health practice. Supplementary file3 (MP4 150533 KB).

Indexed as

COVID-19MicrobiotaNasal CavityNasopharynxChildChild, PreschoolFemaleHumansInfantMalePandemicsSARS-CoV-2ChildrenCOVID-19 pandemicMicrobiotaNasal cavityNasopharynx

Identifiers

PMID40742667
PMCPMC12380981

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.