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Updated: Dec 23, 2025
Oral Biofilm Sampling for Microbiome Analysis in Healthy Children
Published on: December 31, 2017
The microbiome of pediatric patients with chronic rhinosinusitis
Amanda L Stapleton1, Amber D Shaffer1, Alison Morris2,3
1Department of Otolaryngology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA.
Insights
The nasopharynx and nasal cavity have distinct microbial communities. Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) patients did not show significant differences in microbiota compared to healthy controls.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Otolaryngology
- Pediatric Health
Background:
- Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is a common pediatric condition.
- Adenoidectomy is a surgical procedure for CRS and obstructive sleep apnea.
- Understanding the nasopharyngeal and sinus microbiota is crucial for pediatric respiratory health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the nasopharyngeal and sinus microbiota in pediatric patients with CRS undergoing adenoidectomy versus healthy controls.
- To investigate the relationship between microbiota composition, diversity, and clinical factors.
- To explore the ecological differences between the nasopharynx and nasal cavity.
Main Methods:
- Recruitment of pediatric patients with CRS (n=37) and obstructive sleep apnea (n=50).
- Collection of nasopharyngeal and nasal cavity samples during adenoidectomy.
- 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene sequencing for taxonomic abundance analysis.
- Statistical analyses including PERMANOVA and diversity measures.
Main Results:
- Moraxella was the most abundant organism; higher alpha diversity in nasopharynx vs. nasal cavity.
- No significant difference in microbiota diversity between CRS and control patients.
- Age and eczema influenced diversity; medications (nasal steroids, inhaled steroids, antihistamines) impacted nasopharyngeal and nasal cavity microbiota.
Conclusions:
- Nasopharynx and nasal cavity exhibit distinct microbial compositions and diversity.
- No significant differences in microbiota were found between CRS patients and healthy controls.
- Nasopharyngeal and sinus microbial shifts may play a role in adenoid hypertrophy etiology.
Background:
This study aimed to compare the microbiota of pediatric patients with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) who are undergoing adenoidectomy to treat their disease with that of healthy control patients.
Methods:
Patients undergoing adenoidectomy-only for obstructive sleep apnea (n = 50) and CRS (n = 37) were recruited. Preoperative 22-item Sino-Nasal Outcome Test (SNOT-22) or Sinus and Nasal Quality of Life Survey (SN-5) were collected. Each patient had samples collected from their nasopharynx (adenoid bed) and nasal cavity (sinus) at the onset of surgery. 16S ribosomal ribonucleic acid (rRNA) gene sequencing was subsequently performed to obtain per sample taxonomic abundances. Statistical analyses included permutational multivariate analysis of variance (PERMANOVA), alpha (within sample) diversity measures, and changes in taxonomic abundance.
Results:
Moraxella was the most abundant organism. Nasopharyngeal swabs demonstrated higher alpha diversity compared to the nasal cavity. The diversity was not different based on CRS vs obstructive history. There was an increase in diversity with increasing age, and eczema contributed to a greater difference in diversity between the nasopharynx and nasal cavity. Diversity was not affected by adenoid size; however, use of nasal steroids, inhaled steroids, and antihistamines influenced diversity in both the nasopharynx and nasal cavity. Nasopharyngeal samples were higher in relative abundance for Fusobacterium, Prevotella, Porphyromonas, and Campylobacter compared to the nasal cavity.
Conclusion:
The nasopharynx and nasal cavity differed in both microbiota composition and diversity. In contrast, no significant difference in composition or diversity were found in CRS vs control patients. Ecological changes in the nasopharyngeal and sinus site may contribute to the etiology for adenoid hypertrophy in both healthy controls and CRS patients.
