Sputum Microbial Flora and Monocyte Derived Macrophage Phagocytosis in Non Smoking Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Abstract

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a chronic, progressive, degenerative, inflammatory airway disease associated with exposure to noxious pollutants. Currently, COPD is the 3rd leading cause of adult deaths globally and 2nd leading cause of adult deaths in India. Exposure to tobacco-smoke is the most encountered risk factor for COPD development in developed nations, although only about 40% of smokers develop COPD. Recent emerging evidence from developing nations reveal that non-smoking causes such as exposure to smoke generated from the combustion of biomass-fuel in poor ventilated homes is also an important risk-factor for COPD development. In developing nations like India, about 85% of COPD cases are due to non-smoking causes, and about 70% of Indian household use biomass-fuel newline