Detection of Microbiota in Post Radiation Sinusitis

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Otolaryngology
• Oncology

Background:

• Radiotherapy for sinonasal and skull base cancers alters sinonasal microbiota.
• Limited research exists on post-radiation sinusitis bacteriology using advanced sequencing.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize and compare microbial flora in post-radiation sinusitis.
• Utilize both culture and next-generation gene sequencing for bacterial DNA detection.

Main Methods:

• Reviewed medical records of patients treated with external beam radiation.
• Collected sinonasal swabs for culture and brush samples for gene sequencing.
• Compared results from standard microbial culture and molecular gene sequencing.

Main Results:

• Twenty-two patients diagnosed with chronic sinusitis post-radiotherapy.
• Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were most common by both methods.
• Gene sequencing identified additional organisms not found by culture in 50% of patients.

Conclusions:

• Bacteriology of post-radiation sinusitis resembles that of chronic sinusitis in healthy adults.
• Next-generation gene sequencing offers complementary insights into causative organisms.
• Findings may influence medical treatment strategies for post-radiation sinusitis.