Sputum Microbiota in Coal Workers Diagnosed with Pneumoconiosis as Revealed by 16S rRNA Gene Sequencing

Coal worker’s pneumoconiosis (CWP) is an occupationally induced progressive fibrotic lung disease. This irreversible but preventable disease currently affects millions across the world, mainly in countries with developed coal mining industries. Here, we report a pilot study that explores the sputum microbiome as a potential non-invasive bacterial biomarker of CWP status. Sputum samples were collected from 35 former and active coal miners diagnosed with CWP and 35 healthy controls. Sequencing of bacterial 16S rRNA genes was used to study the taxonomic composition of the respiratory microbiome. There was no difference in alpha diversity between CWP and controls. The structure of bacterial communities in sputum samples (β diversity) differed significantly between cases and controls (pseudo-F = 3.61; p = 0.004). A significant increase in the abundance of Streptococcus (25.12 ± 11.37 vs. 16.85 ± 11.35%; p = 0.0003) was detected in samples from CWP subjects as compared to controls. The increased representation of Streptococcus in sputum from CWP patients was associated only with the presence of occupational pulmonary fibrosis, but did not depend on age, and did not differ between former and current miners. The study shows, for the first time, that the sputum microbiota of CWP subjects differs from that of controls. The results of our present exploratory study warrant further investigations on a larger cohort.