Characterization of Bacterial Community Diversity in Chronic Rhinosinusitis Infections Using Novel Culture‐Independent Techniques

Abstract

Objective: Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is a common condition involving a microbial component. Only a small fraction of the total range of bacterial species present in CRS is detected through conventional culture-dependent techniques. We aimed to characterize the bacterial diversity in CRS samples using the novel molecular technique TRFLP. Method: Through 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene clone sequencing and Terminal Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (TRFLP) analysis, the bacteria present in 70 clinical samples from 43 CRS patients undergoing endoscopic sinus surgery were characterized. Results: Bacterial TRFLP profiles were generated for 70 from 73 samples, and a total of 48 separate bands were detected. Species belonging to 34 genera were identified as present by clone sequence analysis. Of the species detected, those within the genera Pseudomonas, Citrobacter, Haemophilus, Propionibacterium, Staphylococcus, and Streptococcus were found to be numerically dominant, with Pseudomonas aeruginosa being the most frequently detected species. Conclusion: This study has validated the use of the culture-independent molecular technique TRFLP in sinonasal samples. Preliminary characterization of the microbial diversity in CRS suggests a complex range of common and novel bacterial species within the upper airway in CRS, providing further evidence for the polymicrobial etiology of this disease.