[Bacteriology of the nose and sinuses]

The authors, on the basis of 140 cases, analyze the bacterial flora of essentially chronic rhino-sinusitis observed in hospital consultations at the Pellegrin Hospital, the referral centre of the Aquitaine region. Samples taken in the operating theatre from 100 cases, by aspiration and mucosal biopsy, were studied in aerobic and anaerobic media. The results marked by the scarcity of sterile samples and of anaerobic germs, evidence the predominance of an aerobic flora, with in particular Haemophilus influenzae, Staphylococcus aureus and beta-hemolytic Streptococci. No significant difference was recorded between the bacteriology of acute sinusitis as against chronic sinusitis. The flora of sinusitis appear to depend more on the age factor than on the pathogenic type. Branhamella catharralis is present only in patients under 30. The enterobacteria appear in the adult 30-50 year-old age group and, as from the age of 50, are combined by Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which account for 18% of the strains. These two types of germs then appear to be predominant over the Staphylococci and the Haemophilus.