Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 16, 2026

Characterization of Inflammatory Responses During Intranasal Colonization with Streptococcus pneumoniae
Published on: January 17, 2014
Microbiology of acute exacerbation of chronic sinusitis
Itzhak Brook1, Perry A Foote, Edith H Frazier
1Department of Pediatrics, Georgetown University School of Medicine, Washington, DC, USA.
Objectives:
We undertook to evaluate the microbiology of acute exacerbation of chronic sinusitis (AECS).
Methods:
Repeated aspirations of maxillary sinus secretions by endoscopy were performed in 7 patients over a period of 125 to 242 days.
Results:
Bacteria were recovered for all 22 aspirates, and the number of isolates was between 2 and 4. A total of 54 isolates were isolated: 16 aerobic and facultative bacteria and 38 anaerobic bacteria. The aerobic bacteria were Haemophilus influenzae (7 isolates), Streptococcus pneumoniae (3), Moraxella catarrhalis (3), Staphylococcus aureus (2), and Klebsiella pneumoniae (1). The anaerobic bacteria included pigmented Prevotella and Porphyromonas spp (19), Peptostreptococcus spp (9), Fusobacterium spp (8), and Propionibacterium acnes (2). A change in the types of isolates was noted in all consecutive cultures obtained from the same patients as different organisms emerged and previously isolated bacteria were no longer recovered. An increase in antimicrobial resistance was noted in 6 instances.
Conclusions:
This study illustrates the microbial dynamics of AECS in which anaerobic and aerobic bacteria prevail, and highlights the importance of obtaining cultures from patients with AECS for guidance in selection of proper antimicrobial therapy.
More Related Videos
06:57The WinCF Model - An Inexpensive and Tractable Microcosm of a Mucus Plugged Bronchiole to Study the Microbiology of Lung Infections
Published on: May 8, 2017
09:02Infection of Primary Nasal Epithelial Cells Grown at an Air-Liquid Interface to Characterize Human Coronavirus-Host Interactions
Published on: September 22, 2023
Related Concept Videos
Microbiota of the Respiratory Tract
Atypical Pneumonia
Sputum Studies I: Gram Stain, cytology, and Acid-fast smear and culture
Gram Stain
The Gram Stain is an integral part of sputum studies. It involves the staining of sputum, which permits...
Sputum Studies II: Culture and Sensitivity
Sputum culture and sensitivity is a medical procedure used to diagnose bacterial infections in the respiratory tract and select the most appropriate antibiotics for treatment. This process involves analyzing sputum samples of thick and opaque secretions produced in the lungs and airways. These samples are collected from patients and then sent to the laboratory for analysis.
The test can identify various pathogens responsible for respiratory infections, including Streptococcus,...
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease III: Chronic Bronchitis Features
Pneumonia I: Introduction