Role of Virome in chronic respiratory diseases

Chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), bronchiectasis, and interstitial lung diseases represent a major global health burden with complex and heterogeneous pathophysiology. While bacterial microbiome research has substantially advanced understanding of airway inflammation and disease progression, the role of the respiratory virome, including eukaryotic viruses, bacteriophages, and latent viral communities, remains underexplored. This research topic aims to collect high-quality studies investigating the composition, dynamics, and functional impact of the airway virome in chronic respiratory diseases, spanning stable disease, exacerbations, and longitudinal disease trajectories. The scope includes host-virus-microbiome interactions, methodological advances in virome detection, and clinical correlations.This research area has the potential to redefine current paradigms of chronic respiratory disease pathogenesis by integrating viral ecology into the understanding of airway biology. Understanding virome-driven immune modulation, viral persistence, and virus-bacteria interactions may reveal novel mechanisms underlying chronic inflammation, susceptibility to exacerbation, and treatment resistance. Innovative multi-omics approaches, longitudinal cohort studies, and advanced bioinformatics will enable high-resolution characterization of the virome and its functional consequences. All these can lead to the development of virome-based biomarkers, targeted antiviral or phage-based therapies, and precision medicine strategies for chronic respiratory diseases.We welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:• Characterization of the airway virome in chronic respiratory diseases versus healthy states• Role of latent, persistent, and recurrent viral infections in disease pathogenesis• Virome alterations during exacerbations, treatment responses, and disease progression• Interactions between the virome, bacterial microbiome, and mycobiome• Host immune responses to the respiratory virome and their contribution to chronic inflammation• Influence of age, environmental exposures, comorbidities, and therapeutics on virome composition• Methodological and bioinformatic advances in virome profiling and interpretation• Clinical relevance of virome signatures as biomarkers or therapeutic targetsThe journal invites Original Research, Systematic Review, Methods, Review, Hypothesis and Theory, Mini Review, Perspective, Brief Research Report, General Commentary and Opinion manuscripts. Topic editors: Spyridon Megremis, Hayoung Choi, Alison Dicker Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/77644/role-of-virome-in-chronic-respiratory-diseases