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The role of Chlamydia pneumoniae infection in children with chronic sinusitis

Anthony Cultrara1, Nira A Goldstein, Alexander Ovchinsky

  • 1Department of Otolaryngology-Division of Infectious Diseases, State University of New York Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn 11203, USA. cultura@yahoo.com

Archives of Otolaryngology--Head & Neck Surgery
|October 22, 2003
PubMed

Insights

Chlamydia pneumoniae is not a significant cause of chronic sinusitis in children, according to this study. Further research is needed to confirm these findings in pediatric sinusitis cases.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric infectious diseases
  • Otolaryngology
  • Microbiology

Background:

  • Chlamydia pneumoniae frequently causes lower respiratory illness in children and adults.
  • Its role in upper respiratory tract infections, such as sinusitis, remains uncertain.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between Chlamydia pneumoniae infection and chronic sinusitis in pediatric patients.
  • To determine if C. pneumoniae plays a role in persistent sinusitis unresponsive to conventional treatment.

Main Methods:

  • Prospective study involving children with chronic sinusitis undergoing surgical procedures.
  • Collection of nasopharyngeal, middle meatal, and surgical sinus specimens for C. pneumoniae culture.
  • Analysis of specimens from 20 children aged 3-16 years undergoing adenoidectomy, sinus lavage, or endoscopic sinus surgery.

Main Results:

  • Chlamydia pneumoniae was isolated from only one child's nasopharyngeal swab and adenoid tissue.
  • Sinus aspirates and middle meatal swabs from this child were negative for C. pneumoniae.
  • C. pneumoniae was not detected in sinus specimens from any of the study participants.

Conclusions:

  • Sensitive culture techniques did not isolate C. pneumoniae from sinus specimens in children with chronic sinusitis.
  • This preliminary study suggests C. pneumoniae is unlikely to be a major contributor to chronic sinusitis in the pediatric population.
Abstract

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