Immunosenescence and pneumococcal disease: an imbalance in host-pathogen interactions.
Abstract
Respiratory infections are among the most important causes of morbidity and mortality from infectious diseases worldwide. The most common causative bacterium, Streptococcus pneumoniae, frequently colonises the upper respiratory tract, where it resides mostly asymptomatically. Occasionally, however, S pneumoniae can cause severe disease such as pneumonia. Local host immunity is essential to control colonising pathogens by preventing overgrowth, spread, and invasion. However, age-related immune deficits in elderly people, known as immunosenescence, might contribute to increased disease burden. We review present knowledge about immunosenescence in the respiratory tract against Gram-positive bacteria, particularly S pneumoniae. We discuss the possible underdetection of pneumococcal colonisation in elderly people, and suggest changes to present surveillance methods to improve understanding of the relation between colonisation and disease. We conclude that present knowledge about alteration of host-pathogen interactions by immunosenescence in the respiratory tract is insufficient, and that research is needed to enable improved measures for prevention.
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Risk factors such as increased inhalation, poor oral hygiene, and viral infection are related to the occurrence of respiratory infection.
“These studies suggested that keen vigilance should be maintained against infections derived from the oral microbiome during infection by respiratory viruses and have uncovered risk factors such as increased inhalation, poor oral hygiene, and viral infection are related to the occurrence of respiratory infection (Pace and McCullough, 2010; Krone et al., 2014; Iki et al., 2016).”
From Oral Microbiome and SARS-CoV-2: Beware of Lung Co-infection (2020) · cites this paper as Krone et al., 2014
As humans age, the niche that Streptococcus pneumoniae inhabit might change, resulting in a weakening of microbiome resiliency.
“As human beings age, the niche that Streptococcus pneumonia (S. pneumoniae) inhabit might change, resulting in a weakening of microbiome resiliency. This is related to the result of the degeneration of the immune system or a low-grade chronic inflammation (Krone et al., 2014).”
From Oral Microbiome and SARS-CoV-2: Beware of Lung Co-infection (2020) · cites this paper as Krone et al., 2014
The change in the S. pneumoniae niche and weakening of microbiome resiliency is related to degeneration of the immune system or low-grade chronic inflammation.
“As human beings age, the niche that Streptococcus pneumonia (S. pneumoniae) inhabit might change, resulting in a weakening of microbiome resiliency. This is related to the result of the degeneration of the immune system or a low-grade chronic inflammation (Krone et al., 2014).”
From Oral Microbiome and SARS-CoV-2: Beware of Lung Co-infection (2020) · cites this paper as Krone et al., 2014
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References 135 · Cited by 134
- Authors
- Krone, C. L., van de Groep, K., Trzciński, K., Sanders, E. A. M., & Bogaert, D.
- Affiliations
- University Medical Center Utrecht (NL)
- Venue
- The Lancet Respiratory Medicine
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2014-02
- Volume
- 2
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 141-153
- ISSN
- 2213-2600 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2171377585
- Cited by
- 134
- References
- 135
- Citations by year
- 2026: 4 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 15 · 2021: 19 · 2020: 18 · 2019: 10 · 2018: 5 · 2017: 14 · 2016: 10 · 2015: 11 · 2014: 7 · 2013: 1
- FWCI
- 1.15
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- The Lancet Respiratory Medicine (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Pneumonia and Respiratory Infections
- Life Sciences › Immunology and Microbiology › Microbiology › Bacterial Infections and Vaccines
- Life Sciences › Immunology and Microbiology › Microbiology › Microbial infections and disease research
- Keywords
- immunosenescence, Streptococcus pneumoniae, pneumococcal infection, host-pathogen interaction, lung immunity, older adults, age-related immune decline, pneumococcal surveillance, pneumonia prevention
- MeSH terms
- Age Factors, Aged, Aging, Humans, Immunocompetence, Netherlands, Pneumonia, Pneumococcal, Population Surveillance, Respiratory Tract Infections, Risk Factors, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Global Health, Incidence, Host-Pathogen Interactions
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