Molecular analysis of dominant paranasal sinus bacteria in patients with and without chronic rhinosinusitis

Recent studies have established the possible role of microbiota in developing various diseases. In this regard, attention has shifted to the evaluation of microbiota changes in the paranasal sinuses and its relationship to chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS), especially CRS with nasal polyposis (CRSwNP). This study aimed to examine the bacterial communities of the sphenoidal sinus in Iranian patients with and without CRS. The investigation included 36 subjects, including 18 patients with CRSwNP who underwent Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery (FESS) and 18 non-CRS patients who underwent Endoscopic Endonasal Approach (EEA) for pituitary adenoma. The surgeries were performed under general anesthesia, and the sphenoidal sinus was sampled using sterile rayon-tipped swabs coated with a sheet. TaqMan quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) method (the 16S rDNA gene from bacteria) was used for detection of bacterial communities in different samples. Staphylococcus haemolyticus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were significantly more prevalent in CRS patients than non-CRS patients (P value ≤ 0.05). However, no significant difference in the frequency of Corynebacterium spp. and Staphylococcus aureus was observed between the two groups, and no Streptococcus pneumoniae or Haemophilus influenza species were isolated from any of the samples. The current study's findings indicated a significant difference in the frequency of certain bacterial species in patients with CRS vs. non-CRS patients. By establishing a link between microbial burden and CRS, it is possible to develop effective treatments or even prevent disorders in this body area.