REVIEW published: 04 August 2021 doi: 10.3389/fcimb.2021.720742 The Role of Non-Typeable Haemophilus influenzae Biofilms in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Jake R. Weeks 1*, Karl J. Staples 1,2, C. Mirella Spalluto 1,2, Alastair Watson 1,2,3 and Tom M. A. Wilkinson 1,2 1 Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Southampton Faculty of Medicine, Southampton, United Kingdom, 2 National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Southampton Biomedical Research Centre, Southampton General Hospital, Southampton, United Kingdom, 3 Birmingham Medical School, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom Non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi) is an ubiquitous commensal-turned- pathogen that colonises the respiratory mucosa in airways diseases including Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). COPD is a progressive inflammatory syndrome Edited by: of the lungs, encompassing chronic bronchitis that is characterised by mucus Dirk Lange, hypersecretion and impaired mucociliary clearance and creates a static, protective, University of British Columbia, Canada humid, and nutrient-rich environment, with dysregulated mucosal immunity; a Reviewed by: favourable environment for NTHi colonisation. Several recent large COPD cohort Sara Mart´ı, Bellvitge University Hospital, Spain studies have reported NTHi as a significant and recurrent aetiological pathogen in acute Esther Klaile, exacerbations of COPD. NTHi proliferation has been associated with increased University Hospital Jena, Germany hospitalisation, disease severity, morbidity and significant lung microbiome shifts. *Correspondence: Jake R. Weeks However, some cohorts with patients at different severities of COPD do not report that
[email protected] NTHi is a significant aetiological pathogen in their COPD patients, indicating other obligate pathogens including Moraxella catarrhalis, Streptococcus pneumoniae and Specialty section: This article was submitted to Pseudomonas aeruginosa as the cause.