Abstract
Background: With the emergence of the microbiome as an important factor in health and disease in the respiratory tract standardised, validated techniques are required for its accurate characterisation. No standardised technique has been reported specifically for viral sampling in the sinonasal passages.Aim: To optimise viral sampling techniques from the sinonasal cavity.Methods: Sterile cytology brushes were used under endoscopic guidance to sample the sinonasal mucosa at time of endoscopic sinus surgery at both the middle and inferior meatuses (MM and IM). DNA and RNA were extracted from the samples and underwent PCR or RT-PCR testing, respectively, for a panel of 15 common upper respiratory tract viruses.Results: Twenty-four adult patients were recruited for this study. 18/24 (75%) patients were positive for virus in at least one site, while 8/24 (33%) were positive for virus at both sites. The mean number of viruses identified at the two sites were similar (0.875 ± 0.899 at the MM vs. 0.750 ± 1.032 at the IM). 6/24 (25%) of patients showed no virus at either site, while 3/24 (12.5%) demonstrated the same viral species at both sites.Conclusion: Although the number of viruses present at different sites with the nasal cavity are similar, discord exists in the viral species between sites. It is therefore recommended that both sites are sampled in the clinical and research setting better to characterise the viral species within the nasal cavity.
Highlights
The role of the healthy human microbiome in prevention and eradication of disease is an area of burgeoning interest in recent years
This is due to self-reports by many chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) patients that their symptoms almost invariably developed after an initial viral upper respiratory tract infection (URTI)
DNA extracts were screened for endogenous retrovirus 3 (ERV3), AdV, BoV, WUPyV, KIPyV, CMV, Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), varicella zoster virus (VZV), herpes simplex virus (HSV) 1 and 2, and HHV6 using an identical set of conditions previously optimised so as not to compromise sensitivity (Table 1)
Summary
The role of the healthy human microbiome in prevention and eradication of disease is an area of burgeoning interest in recent years. The interplay between various colonising organisms, their relative abundance, and the importance of a fine microbial balance has been shown to be essential for normal functioning of multiple organ systems, not least respiratory (Lloyd-Price et al, 2016; Mitchell and Glanville, 2018) Disruption of this balance between viruses, bacteria, and single-celled eukaryotes has been implicated in numerous disease processes, including acute infective processes as well as many chronic inflammatory diseases (Lloyd-Price et al, 2016). An area that is anecdotally suggested to play a role in CRS pathogenesis is a viral dysbiosis (Jang et al, 2006; Cho et al, 2013) This is due to self-reports by many CRS patients that their symptoms almost invariably developed after an initial viral upper respiratory tract infection (URTI). No standardised technique has been reported for viral sampling in the sinonasal passages
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
