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Investigation of sinonasal microbiome spatial organization in chronic rhinosinusitis
Author(s) -
Ramakrishnan Vijay R.,
Gitomer Sarah,
Kofonow Jennifer M.,
Robertson Charles E.,
Frank Daniel N.
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
international forum of allergy and rhinology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.503
H-Index - 46
eISSN - 2042-6984
pISSN - 2042-6976
DOI - 10.1002/alr.21854
Subject(s) - medicine , chronic rhinosinusitis , microbiome , sinusitis , dermatology , immunology , bioinformatics , biology
Background Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is a multifactorial inflammatory airway disorder in which bacteria are implicated in the initiation and/or sustenance of disease in some patients. The sinuses are colonized by bacteria even in health, and the potential for sinus‐specific niches harboring unique microbial consortia raises questions for clinical and research investigation. The objective was to determine the degree to which resident upper airways microbiota differ between individuals and anatomic sites, in order to determine the optimal site of microbial sampling for study in CRS. Methods Eight CRS patients undergoing primary surgery were sampled bilaterally at the anterior nares, middle meatus, nasopharynx, maxillary sinus, frontal sinus, and sphenoid sinus for investigation using broad‐range bacterial 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) sequencing. Results Between‐subject variability in bacterial microbiota was substantially greater than within‐subject variability. The middle meatus was fairly representative of the underlying sinuses, although corynebacteria were detected at higher abundances in the middle meatus, relative to the maxillary ( p < 0.1), frontal ( p < 0.05), or sphenoid ( p < 0.1) sinuses. Conclusion Interpersonal variation of the upper airway microbiome greatly outweighs niche‐specific differences. The middle meatus is a fair representation of the underlying sinuses and may be considered for use as a simple single site for sampling in longitudinal studies or in subjects who have not undergone sinus surgery.