Background Compositional differences in the bronchial bacterial microbiota have been
associated with asthma, but it remains unclear whether the findings are attributable to
asthma, to aeroallergen sensitization, or to inhaled corticosteroid treatment. Objectives We
sought to compare the bronchial bacterial microbiota in adults with steroid-naive atopic
asthma, subjects with atopy but no asthma, and nonatopic healthy control subjects and to
determine relationships of the bronchial microbiota to phenotypic features of asthma …