Sinus Cultures Research Articles

Impact of the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine on chronic sinusitis associated with Streptococcus pneumoniae in children.

The widespread use of the 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine has been associated with epidemiologic changes of mucosal and invasive pneumococcal disease. No study describes the impact of 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) on chronic sinusitis in children. We describe changes in epidemiology of Streptococcus pneumoniae chronic sinusitis after the introduction of PCV13 at Texas Children's Hospital. We identified patients <18 years with positive sinus culture for S. pneumoniae who underwent endoscopic sinus surgery because of chronic sinusitis from August 2008 to December 2013 at Texas Children's Hospital. Isolates were serotyped by the capsular swelling method. Demographic and clinical information was collected retrospectively. The χ test and Fisher's exact test were used to analyze dichotomous variables. We identified 91 cases of chronic sinusitis with positive sinus culture for S. pneumoniae. Sixty-one (67%) isolates were non-PCV13 serotypes. PCV13 cases decreased 31% in the post-PCV13 period (P = 0.003). Serotype 19A decreased 27% in the post-PCV13 period (P = 0.007), but accounted for all the isolates with penicillin minimal inhibitory concentration ≥ 4 μg/mL and ceftriaxone minimal inhibitory concentration ≥ 2 μg/mL. Serotypes 19A (38%) and 15C (17%) were the most common in the pre- and post-PCV13 periods, respectively. The most common organism co-isolated was Haemophilus influenzae (52%). Isolation of Prevotella spp. increased in the post-PCV13 period (P = 0.02). S. pneumoniae continues to represent an important pathogen in chronic sinusitis in children <5 years of age. After the introduction of PCV13, S. pneumoniae isolation declined in children with chronic sinusitis at Texas Children's Hospital. We also observed a substantial reduction of PCV13 serotypes, predominantly serotype 19A.

Molecular characteristics of Staphylococcus aureus associated with chronic rhinosinusitis.

The anterior nares have been regarded as the major carriage site of Staphylococcus aureus. From here, the organism can spread to other parts of the body where it might act as harmless commensal or cause mild to severe infections. Nasal sinuses are normally sterile, but in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS), the finding of S. aureus in maxillary sinus cultures is common. Isolates were obtained from the nares and maxillary sinus of patients with CRS and the nares of healthy controls. A significantly higher frequency of S. aureus was found in nares samples from patients (24/42) compared to controls (16/57) (p = 0.004). There is no consensus regarding whether S. aureus is a relevant pathogen in CRS. A DNA microarray was used to investigate the prevalence of S. aureus virulence genes with focus on staphylococcal enterotoxins, toxic shock syndrome toxin-1, agr types, and cell wall-associated proteins. The genotyping of S. aureus isolates revealed only small and non-significant differences in gene prevalence between isolates collected from patients with CRS and those collected from healthy nasal carriers. This study provides an increased knowledge of the genetic pattern of virulence genes among S. aureus collected in CRS.

CD4+ and CD8+ regulatory T cells in chronic rhinosinusitis mucosa.

Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) mucosal inflammation is characterized by an accumulation of effector-memory T cells, but their immune regulatory potential has not been adequately examined. Coexpression of transcription factor, forkhead box P3 (Foxp3), and interleukin-2 receptor, CD25, in CD4+ and CD8+ T cells is linked with regulatory function in humans. The aim of this study was to investigate the regulatory T cell (Treg) phenotype of CD4+ (CD4Treg) and CD8+ (CD8Treg) T cells in peripheral blood (PB) and sinus mucosa of CRS patients. Prospective study was performed involving 32 CRS with nasal polyp (CRSwNP), 14 CRS without nasal polyp (CRSsNP), and 8 control patients. Sinus and PB T lymphocytes were stained with CD3, CD4, CD8, CD25, and Foxp3 and analyzed using flow cytometry. Relevant clinical characteristics, sinus bacterial culture results, and eosinophilic mucus were examined. Sinus mucosa had a higher percentage of CD4Treg (CD3+CD4+CD25+Foxp3+) population compared with PB in all patients. The percentage of PB CD4Treg and CD8Treg (CD3+CD8+CD25+Foxp3+) was not significantly different between the study groups. CRS mucosal tissue had a higher percentage of CD4Treg and activated T-helper cells than controls. There was no significant difference in PB and mucosal CD4Treg populations in CRS patients based on the presence of allergy, sinus culture results, or eosinophilic mucus. In controls, increased mucosal CD4Treg correlated with coexisting allergy. Although overall CD4Treg numbers were higher, the regulatory potential of activated CD4+ T cells (CD4Treg/activated T-helper cell ratio) was significantly lower in CRS mucosa compared with controls. The CD8Treg subset was also significantly reduced in CRSwNP mucosa compared with controls. A higher percentage of CD4Treg and activated T-helper cells in CRS mucosa suggests increased inflammation in CRS, independent of the presence of allergy, microbial culture results, or eosinophilic mucus. However, the decreased ratio of CD4Treg versus activated T-helper cells in CRS and reduced CD8Treg population in CRSwNPs indicates an inflammatory bias and the inability to control mucosal disease.

Pretreatment of sinus aspirates with dithiothreitol improves yield of fungal cultures in patients with chronic sinusitis

Mold pathogens are a leading cause of chronic rhinosinusitis. Successful isolation of mold on culture is helpful in establishing a diagnosis and guiding therapy. Though mucolytic agents are commonly used in European countries, they are not part of everyday use in North America. In this case-control prospective study, we investigated the yield of fungal culture before and after treatment of sinus aspirates with the mucolytic agent dithiothreitol in a United States hospital. Over a 5-month period during 2011-2012, 359 sinus aspirates from 294 patients with symptoms suspicious for chronic sinusitis or allergic fungal sinusitis were collected. Aspirates were cultured on fungal medium before and after treatment with dithiothreitol. Of the 359 pairs of cultures, 62 (17.3%) demonstrated mold growth on at least 1 of the plates, 9 (14.5%) of which grew more than 1 species of mold. A total of 75 molds were identified, 41 (54.7%) of which were successfully cultured only when the mucus was pretreated with dithiothreitol (p < 0.0001). Quantitatively, more colonies grew from dithiothreitol-treated mucus than from direct-inoculation (p < 0.0001). This study confirms improved recovery of mold from sinus cultures after pretreatment of samples with dithiothreitol. Further studies are needed to correlate these findings with clinical outcome.

Orbital Complications of Acute Sinusitis

The widespread use of the 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PVC7), developed to combat invasive Streptococcus pneumoniae infections, has the potential to influence the prevalence and antibiotic resistance patterns of pathogens associated with orbital complications from acute sinusitis. Given the significant morbidity that may result from inadequate treatment of orbital infections related to acute sinusitis, determining the impact of PCV7 on the bacteriology and drug resistance of the pathogens associated with these infections may provide critical information needed to accurately guide optimal clinical management. To determine if the characteristics of orbital complications from acute sinusitis in children have changed in the post-PCV7 era. Review of clinical data. Tertiary care children's hospital. Patients with a diagnosis of orbital cellulitis and/or subperiosteal abscess from January 1, 1996, to December 31, 2009. Patients with immune deficiency or orbital trauma were excluded. Patients were divided into pre-PCV7 (before 2003 [n = 128]) and post-PCV7 (2003 and after [n = 145]) groups. Statistical analyses were used to compare the 2 groups. Differences in patient demographics, signs and symptoms, laboratory study results, computed tomography scan findings, and microbiological analyses between the pre-PCV7 and post-PCV7 groups. A total of 273 children met the inclusion criteria. The post-PCV7 group was older (71.4 months vs 88.8 months [P = .007]) than the pre-PCV7 group. A significant decrease in S pneumoniae and Streptococcus viridans -positive sinus or blood cultures were observed (22.4% vs 0% [P < .001] and 12.24% vs 0% [P = .005], respectively). An increase in Staphylococcus aureus was seen in the post-PCV7 group (20.4% vs 42.37% [P = .02]). Methicillin-resistant S aureus (MRSA) was isolated only in the post-PCV7 group (P = .002). The pre-PCV7 group had a significantly longer hospital stay than the post-PCV7 group (7.15 days vs 5.47 days [P = .004]). Although universal PCV7 vaccination has eliminated S pneumoniae as an etiologic pathogen in acute sinusitis complications in this series, there has been a parallel and significant increase in S aureus, including an increase in the prevalence of MRSA associated with orbital infections related to acute sinusitis.

Correlation between respiratory cultures and sinus cultures in children with cystic fibrosis

ObjectivePatients with cystic fibrosis (CF) have chronic pulmonary infections and, in many cases, chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). In patients who have CRS without CF, the causative pathogens are well established, and empiric therapy is prescribed. In patients with CF, organisms are different, decreasing the efficacy of empiric therapy. Furthermore, obtaining accurate sinus cultures is invasive, making culture directed therapy more challenging. Some physicians use respiratory cultures to guide antibiotic selection for treatment of sinusitis. Previous studies have had varying results on the correlation between respiratory and sinus cultures so further investigation is warranted. MethodsBacterial growth from preoperative sputum, bronchoalveolar lavage, and oropharyngeal cultures were compared to the bacterial growth from intraoperative sinus cultures in patients with cystic fibrosis undergoing endoscopic sinus surgery. ResultsIn the patients over eight years of age, 16 of 26 sputum cultures matched sinus cultures (p=0.4). When sputum cultures with normal flora and no growth were eliminated, 16 of 21 matched sinus cultures (p=0.02). No statistically significant associations were found for sputum cultures in patients under eight years of age. No statistically significant associations were found between oropharyngeal or bronchoalveolar lavage cultures and intraoperative sinus cultures from patients of any age. When Staphylococcus aureus was cultured from sputum in patients over eight years of age the positive and negative predictive values that S. aureus would be cultured from the sinuses were 100% and 75% respectively. The positive and negative predictive values for Pseudomonas aeruginosa were 73% and 86% respectively. ConclusionIn children with CF who are over eight years of age, organisms grown from sputum cultures are similar to organisms grown from sinus cultures when bacterial growth is present.

The Effect of Sinus Surgery with Intensive follow-up on Pathogenic Sinus Bacteria in Patients with Cystic Fibrosis

Most patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) have chronic rhinosinusitis; their sinuses are often colonized with bacteria that can initiate and maintain deleterious pulmonary infections. Theoretically, eradication of the sinus bacteria should reduce the frequency of lung infections and thereby reduce pulmonary morbidity. This article addressed whether bacteria in CF sinuses are eligible for eradication by sinus surgery and postoperative treatment. A prospective study including 58 CF patients, who had extensive sinus surgery and growth of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Achromobacter xylosoxidans, and/or Burkholderia multivorans in their sinuses, was initiated. All patients followed a systematic postoperative treatment program of nasal irrigations with saline and colistimethate sodium and systematic endoscopic cleansing. All patients had follow-up examinations including sinus cultures; each side of the nose was cultured separately. At the 6-month follow-up visit, 49 patients were cultured; 66 of 98 maxillary-ethmoidal complexes (67%) showed no growth of pathogenic bacteria. Some patients were not free from CF pathogenic bacteria at all cultures; however, 20 (41%) patients had no bilateral regrowth (p < 0.01) and 4 patients had no unilateral regrowth at any time during 6 months of follow-up. The eradication of CF pathogens was accomplished in patients from all three lung infection groups: intermittently colonized, chronically infected, and lung transplanted. The patient with the longest follow-up had no bacterial growth for 3 years. Extensive sinus surgery combined with intensive follow-up can eradicate pathogenic bacteria from CF sinuses.

Comparison of the Outcome of Treatment of Chronic Osteomyelitis by Surgical Debridement with and without Local Antibiotic Delivery System: Experience from a Nigerian Teaching Hospital

Background: Chronic osteomyelitis is still common in the developing world and presents a continuing therapeutic challenge. Antibiotics cannot penetrate the dense fibrotic scar tissue that surrounds infected and avascular bone which perpetuates the infection. Surgical debridement/sequestrectomy is the cornerstone to treatment and aims to create a viable, vascularized base which promotes healing. Surgical debridement necessarily creates a dead space which must be dealt with to prevent re-infection. Local antibiotic delivery systems serve the dual purpose of obliterating dead space and creating a sterile local environment with high bactericidal concentrations. Aim: To determine the outcomes in patients with chronic osteomyelitis who received debridement/sequestrectomy alone, and those who received the procedure combined with a local antibiotic delivery system in the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital. Patients and Methods: A prospective descriptive analysis of patients managed surgically for chronic osteomyelitis from July 2007 to December, 2012. Patients’ biodata, aetiology, organisms, treatment options and outcomes were analysed. Results: Forty-four patients presented with the condition and accepted surgery. Male:Female ratio was 2.1:1, and mean age was 27.27 ± 17.48 years. The tibia was the most commonly affected bone (45.5%), Staphylococcus aureus was the commonest organism (56.8% of sinus cultures; 73% of marrow/sequestral cultures) and previous acute haematogenous osteomyelitis was the commonest mechanism. The use of a local antibiotic delivery system improved cure rates from 57.7% to 77.8%). Conclusion: Multiple surgical interventions increase the socioeconomic costs of treating this condition and have a direct impact on the economies of individuals especially in the developing world. Surgical interventions should aim at achieving maximum impact with minimum repetition of the processes. Adequate surgical debridement combined with a local antibiotic delivery system offer improved chances of obtaining cure in this therapeutically challenging disease.

The Correlation of Microbiology Growth between Subperiosteal Orbital Abscess and Affected Sinuses in Young Children

Subperiosteal orbital abscess (SPOA) typically presents as a collection of pus in the space between the periorbit and the lamina papyracea adjacent to the infected paranasal sinuses. The aim of this study was to investigate the simultaneous microbiological growth from an SPOA and the paranasal sinuses in the same children. A retrospective study was performed on cultures obtained from involved sinuses and surgically drained abscesses in young children with SPOA from January 1992 to March 2009. Twenty-two children with a mean age of 5.9 years were included. Results of the microbiological studies were available from the sinuses of 17 children (77.2%) and from the SPOA in 18 children (81.8%). High rates of staphylococci bacteria and Streptococcus viridans were observed compared with lower-than-expected upper respiratory tract infection pathogens. Both groups showed scarce anaerobic and polymicrobial growth. In 13 children (59%), both sinus and abscess culture results were available with correlation found in only 4 (30.7%) of these children. In this study we report the results of bacteriological studies of nasal sinuses and SPOAs in young children, with a low rate of correlation between both sites and low rates of anaerobic growth, but high rates of staphylococcal growth in the SPOA cultures. These observations might be related to the trend toward conservative treatment in children.

Rhinosinusitis in the Immunocompromised Cancer Population

Objective: The microbiology of acute and chronic sinusitis in the general population is well documented, however, this is not well characterized in vulnerable subgroups. Our primary aim is to evaluate the paranasal sinus microbiology of immunocompromised patients at a tertiary cancer center. Method: Following institutional review board approval, records at Moffitt Cancer Center were retrospectively reviewed using ICD-9 codes for in-hospital treatment of sinusitis while undergoing concurrent oncologic therapy. All patients had nasal endoscopy with aerobic middle meatal culture. Demographics, type of malignancy, leukocyte count, glycemic status, and culture results were recorded. Results: Eighty patients were identified from June 2000 to April 2009. Malignancies included leukemia (63%), lymphoma (22%), multiple myeloma (5%), carcinoma (5%), and sarcoma (4%). One patient (1%) had common variable immunodeficiency. A total of 102 sinus cultures were collected. Of those, 59 (58%) were interpreted as no growth (n = 20) or usual respiratory flora (n = 39). Of the 46 positive cultures, 58 organisms were isolated. There were 16 fungi (28%), 12 coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (20%), 9 methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (16%), 8 methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (14%), 6 Pseudomonas species (10%), 3 Moraxella catarrhalis (5%), and 4 other gram-negative bacilli (7%) isolated. Conclusion: Pathogens identified in this population differ from published data examining the general population. There is an increased percentage of negative cultures, fungi and coagulase negative staphylococcus. We found fewer streptococcus pneumonia species. We attribute this change in flora to frequent empiric treatment of this population with broad-spectrum antibiotics.

Role of antibiotics in sinusitis

Sinusitis is a leading reason for outpatient antibiotic use, but symptoms are nonspecific. We review potential methods that might enhance the ability to appropriately prescribe antibiotics. The evidence base for antibiotic use in acute rhinosinusitis is strongest in studies with stringent entry criteria. In less restrictive studies antibiotics and placebo perform equally. Bacteria from nasopharyngeal swabs in adults correlate with sinus cultures. A recent study showed that antibiotics shortened the duration of acute rhinosinusitis (ARS) symptoms in children. Tellingly, over 2000 children with symptoms were screened to enroll less than 10% who fulfilled the study's stringent criteria. In chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS), two grade 1 studies on efficacy of long-term macrolide therapy showed conflicting results. Odontogenic sinusitis is underappreciated and frequently fails to grow on culture because of presumed difficulty in growing anaerobes. There is currently no grade 1 evidence to support antibiotic use in CRS; however, studies to date have not been conducted in patients with isolated purulent sinusitis. Future use of cultures to direct antibiotic therapy, such as nasopharyngeal swabs in adults with ARS or endoscopically guided cultures, may aid in targeting antibiotic therapy more effectively.

Complications of Bacterial Rhinosinusitis in Children and their Management

Sinus infection can spread through anastomosing veins or by direct extension to close by structures. Orbital complications of rhinosinusitis were categorized by Chandler et al. [2] into five stages according to their severity. Contiguous spread to the oribital area can cause periorbital cellulitis, subperiosteal abscess, orbital cellulitis, and abscess. Orbital cellulitis can complicate acute ethmoiditis if thrombophlebitis of the anterior and posterior ethmoidal veins spreads to the lateral or orbital side of the ethmoid labyrinth. Sinusitis can also spread intracranially, where it can cause cavernous sinus thrombosis, retrograde meningitis, and epidural, subdural, and brain abscesses [2-5]. Orbital symptoms often precede intracranial extension of the infection [5]. Other complications include sinobronchitis, maxillary osteomyelitis, and frontal bone osteomyelitis [6-10]. Frontal bone osteomyelitis often originates from an extending thrombophlebitis. Frontal sinus periostitis can cause outer membrane osteitis and periostitis, which produces a tender, puffy swelling of the forehead. The most common pathogens causing these complications are those seen in acute and chronic rhinosinusitis, depending on the length and etiology of the primary rhinosinusitis. These include Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, Staphylococcos aureus (including methicillin resistant), anaerobic bacteria (Prevotella, Porphyromonas, Fusobacterium and Peptostreptococcus spp.) and Microaerophilic streptococci [5]. Anaerobic bacteria are mostly found in chronic rhinosinusitis and those associated with dental etiology [11]. Early diagnosis of a complication is of prime importance. Diagnosis is assisted by computed tomography (CT) and nuclear isotope scanning. Prevention of these complications is of great importance. This can be accomplished by administering appropriate empiric antimicrobial therapy, obtaining sinus cultures from those who fail to respond to treatment after 2-4 days and those with severe symptoms who do not respond within 48 hours, and the immunocompromised. These cultures

Identification and Treatment of Nontuberculous Mycobacterium Sinusitis

The purpose of this study was to identify the incidence of atypical Mycobacterium identified by routine sinus cultures and review the recent literature on management. A retrospective case series was performed in a tertiary academic hospital. A retrospective case series of all patients treated with atypical Mycobacterium rhinosinusitis from 2005 to 2010 was performed. Cases were identified from a prospective database of 676 endoscopically guided sinus cultures. Eight patients with atypical Mycobacterium sinusitis were identified. There were five women and three men. Median age was 63 years (range, 55-71 years). All patients had prior endoscopic sinus surgery a median of 14 months (range, 0.8-162 months) before a positive culture result. Species identified included Mycobacterium chelonae, Mycobacterium fortuitum, Mycobacterium abscessus, and Mycobacterium avium complex. Chief presenting symptoms were postnasal discharge (88%), followed by decreased smell and taste (63%), and facial pain/pressure (38%). Patients were treated based on sensitivity results with long-term oral antibiotics for at least 2 months based on improvements on endoscopy. Median follow-up for patients in this study after treatment was 1.3 years (range, 0.6-4.6 years). In this study, atypical mycobacteria were identified in <1% of sinus cultures. Prolonged, culture-directed antibiotic therapy remains the mainstay of treatment when there is clinical evidence of infection. Previous endoscopic sinus surgery may represent a risk factor for colonization and subsequent infection. Further research is necessary to determine the optimal treatment duration and management to prevent disease relapse.

Oral antifungal therapy for Fusarium‐associated chronic rhinosinusitis

Fusarium is commonly reported as an organism found in fungus-associated chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) yet it is known to be resistant to commonly used antifungal therapies. The goals of this work are to report the incidence of Fusarium-associated CRS in fungal cultures and to describe the treatment experience with oral antifungal agent aimed at this problem. Patients with sinus cultures obtained from 2005 through 2008 were retrospectively identified and their medical records were evaluated. Cultures were obtained in patients with recalcitrant rhinosinusitis when purulent discharge was observed. Patient response to the therapy was measured upon the basis of self reported symptom improvements and endoscopic examination. In this 4-year period 2,570 outpatient fungal cultures were obtained and 194 (7.5%) were positive for Fusarium. These 194 positive cultures appeared in 94 individuals. Thirty-four tested positive multiple times. Twenty-three (24.5%) had severe recalcitrant CRS poorly responsive to standard therapies warranting antifungal therapy aimed at Fusarium. Fifteen individuals were treated with voriconazole, 5 with posaconazole, and 3 with both at separate times. Endoscopic evidence of initial improvement on therapy was evident in 16 of 23 patients (69.6%). Of 18 patients who could comment on their experience with the antifungal treatments, nearly 90% of them reported substantial improvement with the therapy. Nine (9/23; 39.1%) were forced to discontinue oral antifungal therapy due to untoward effects. Fusarium appears in 7.55% of outpatient cultures of CRS. Of the patients testing positive for Fusarium, 25% received oral antifungal therapy. A positive response was seen in 16 of 23 (69.6%) while receiving other standard therapies. Since Fusarium is not routinely sensitive to commonly used antifungal agents, it warrants special attention.

Nebulized Medical Therapy for Chronic Sinusitis

Objective: Nebulized intranasal medical therapy (NIMT) is a novel treatment for chronic rhinosinusitis (CR). To determine the role of NIMT in CR, we compared 50 patients treated with NIMT and oral therapy. We present our findings of pre- and posttreatment modified SNOT 20 scores and sinus cultures. Method: Pretreatment nasal endoscopy with culture was obtained, and a modified SNOT 20 questionnaire was completed. Patients were treated with either NIMT or oral antibiotic therapy twice daily for 21 days. Patients were re-evaluated 2 weeks post-completion of treatment with repeat SNOT 20 questionnaire and endoscopic culture. Results: Pre- and posttreatment sinus cultures were assessed. Bacteriology cultures and sensitivities demonstrated a wide range of organisms, including Staph aureus, H influenzae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Pseudomonas fluorescens, Moraxella catarrhalis, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, Serratia marcescens, Morganella morganii, and Cornybacterium. Both solitary and mixed infections with various degrees of antibiotic resistance were encountered. Early results indicate a change in bacteriology as a result of treatment. Additionally a preliminary review of outcomes demonstrates a reduction in the pre- and posttreatment modified SNOT 20 scores in both groups. Final comparison of the 2 study groups and statistical analysis is pending. Conclusion: The use of NIMT in the treatment of CR is an effective alternative. It is particularly valuable in those patients who cannot tolerate traditional oral therapy and/or whose cultures identify an organism for which an oral antibiotic is not available. Patient compliance and treatment morbidity is favorable.

Nebulized Antibiotics for the Treatment of Refractory Bacterial Chronic Rhinosinusitis

To review the safety and efficacy of nebulized antibiotics for refractory bacterial chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) in adults. PubMed (up to February 2011) and The Cochrane Library (up to February 2011) were searched using the terms nebulizer, nebulized, antibiotics, and chronic sinusitis. All English-language articles reporting clinical trials in adults were evaluated; 4 relevant studies were identified. Conventional therapy for CRS, including pharmacologic treatments (eg, oral antibiotics, corticosteroids, antihistamines) and surgery, are not effective for all patients, which has led to experimentation with nebulized antibiotics. The 4 trials analyzing the effectiveness of nebulized antibiotics for refractory CRS in adults identified in our literature search were diverse in their methods, and different antibiotics were used in each trial. Furthermore, all of the trials had small sample sizes, with the largest comprising 42 patients. Two of the studies compared nebulized antibiotics to nebulized saline, and even though rhinosinusitis symptoms improved, nebulized antibiotics were found to offer no additional benefit over saline. The 2 other trials had no control groups and found that nebulized antibiotics led to an improvement in symptoms. In 1 trial, antibiotics were selected based on the results of sinus cultures, which led to infection resolution in 38 of 50 (76%) treatment courses. Nebulized antibiotics were well tolerated, with only minor adverse effects noted. Based on current studies, use of nebulized antibiotics for refractory CRS cannot be recommended at this time. Although supportive evidence is limited, nebulized antibiotics appear to improve rhinosinusitis symptoms in some patients with minimal adverse effects. With further studies, culture-directed nebulized antibiotic therapy may be a treatment option in patients with CRS refractory to conventional treatments.

Bacterial Pattern in Chronic Sinusitis and Cystic Fibrosis

To assess the association between pathogenic bacteria found in bronchoalveolar lavages and paranasal cavity cultures in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) who underwent endonasal endoscopic sinus surgery. The authors hypothesized that the pathogenic bacterial pattern of the upper airway would be associated with that of the lower airway. Prospective case series with planned data collection. Tertiary referral center. A group of 16 patients with diagnosis of CF who underwent endonasal endoscopic sinus surgery from July 2001 to August 2009 participated in the study. Culture samples were obtained from bronchoalveolar lavages and paranasal cavities. A Fisher exact test was performed to examine the significance of the association between upper airway and lower airway cultures. The most frequent microorganisms in cultures of para-nasal cavities and bronchoalveolar lavages were Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, and Streptococcus viridans. Statistical analysis revealed a significant association between upper airway cultures (paranasal cavities) and lower airway cavities (bronchoalveolar lavages) for the 2 most frequent microorganisms, P. aeruginosa and S. aureus (P = .007 and P = .030, respectively). The authors confirmed their initial hypothesis that a significant association between bronchoalveolar lavages and sinus cultures was established, once more confirming the idea of a unified airway. They found chronic rhinosinusitis with polyps to be a common clinical presentation in patients with CF. Further studies are required to indicate the role of antibiotics and the pathogenesis of the microorganisms as a manifestation of clinical severity.

Staphylococcus aureus sinus infections in children

Objective Staphylococcus aureus can cause sinusitis in children. The predominant MRSA clone in the United States, USA300, has been associated with skin and soft tissue as well as invasive diseases. USA300 has increased among CA methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (CA-MSSA) isolates. We describe the clinical characteristics of pediatric patients with S. aureus cultured from sinus specimens, treated at Texas Children's Hospital (TCH), and characterized their isolates by molecular methods. Methods This was a retrospective study of children with endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) cultures positive for S. aureus between 01/2005 and 12/2008 at TCH. Medical records were reviewed and associated S. aureus isolates were characterized by pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). Data were analyzed by Mann–Whitney U, Chi-square, Fisher's exact test, and Chi-square for trend. Results We identified 56 patients with S. aureus sinus infections; 12 (21%) were MRSA. Seven of 12 (58%) MRSA vs. 5/44 (11%) MSSA were USA300 ( p < 0.01). All MRSA isolates were non-susceptible to erythromycin compared to 30% of MSSA ( p < 0.01); 75% of the USA300 strains were non-susceptible to erythromycin compared to 36% of the non-USA300 strains ( p < 0.04). Co-pathogens were isolated from 77% (43/56) of the patient specimens. Both MRSA and USA300 isolates were associated with Haemophilus influenzae co-isolation ( p < 0.05). Patients with USA300 strains were significantly younger ( p = 0.02) and more likely to experience snoring as a symptom associated with their sinusitis ( p = 0.03) than those infected with non-USA300 strains. Children with MRSA (4/12) tended to have a greater recurrence rate than children with MSSA isolates (5/44) ( p = 0.09). No significant differences were observed between groups for fever or complications such as neck cellulitis, nasal abscess, meningitis, subdural empyema, and orbital cellulitis. Conclusion MSSA was more commonly isolated than MRSA from sinus cultures of children who underwent ESS at TCH. The majority of ESS cultures positive for S. aureus, were mixed with other respiratory pathogens, principally H. influenzae. USA300 was the major clone among the MRSA sinusitis isolates, but was not associated with more complications than other S. aureus isolates.

The Role of Stenotrophomonas Maltophilia in Refractory Chronic Rhinosinusitis

Stenotrophomonas maltophilia is a multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacillus that has been implicated in serious nosocomial infections. This microbe has also been isolated from sinus cultures in refractory chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). The goal of this study was to elucidate the implications of S. maltophilia-positive cultures in the setting of CRS. The objectives of the study were (1) to define clinical and microbiological characteristics and (2) to assess management strategy and overall outcomes of S. maltophilia-positive sinus cultures in CRS patients. A retrospective review was performed of 101 patients over a 5-year period. The mean age was 56.9 years with a female/male ratio of 1.1:1. Previous sinus surgery had been performed in 90.1% of patients. Greater than 97% of patients had been given antibiotics in the previous 6 months. The most common presenting symptom was discolored nasal drainage (76.2%) with endoscopic evidence of pus or crusting in 83.2% of cases. Monotherapy with trimethoprim sulfamethoxazole (TMX) or fluoroquinolones was used in 41 and 26%, respectively. This intervention resulted in overall symptom and endoscopic improvement in 70% of cases. The presence of S. maltophilia isolates on culture are associated with clinically relevant symptoms and endoscopic findings in patients with refractory CRS. Despite its multidrug-resistant nature, monotherapy with TMX or fluoroquinolones appears to be effective in providing patients with bacterial infection with symptom relief in a majority of cases.

Fluoroquinolone-Resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa in Chronic Rhinosinusitis

Background:Pseudomonas aeruginosa is cultured in nearly 1 of 5 patients with chronic rhinosinusitis and a history of sinus surgery. Fluoroquinolones are the only enterally administered antibiotics with efficacy against P. aeruginosa, but their frequent empiric use in the community raises concern for a rise in resistance. Objective: It was the aim of this study to determine the prevalence of fluoroquinolone-resistant P. aeruginosa in a tertiary rhinology practice. Methods: All bacterial sinus culture results from the outpatient otolaryngology clinic that yielded P. aeruginosa over a 5-year period (2002–2007) were reviewed along with the medical records of a randomly selected subset of patients. Results: In total, 689 culture results of 324 patients were examined. Nearly all patients had a history of endoscopic sinus surgery. Of all P. aeruginosa cultured, 13% were resistant to levofloxacin and 5% were intermediately sensitive, while 5% were resistant to ciprofloxacin and 7% intermediately sensitive. Of the 324 patients in the study, 19 and 15% had a history of a P. aeruginosa culture resistant to levofloxacin or ciprofloxacin, respectively. Mucoid strains of P. aeruginosa were significantly more likely to be fluoroquinolone resistant. No patient comorbidities were associated with a higher rate of resistance. The prevalence of resistant cultures remained stable over the 5-year study period. Conclusions:P. aeruginosa is cultured primarily in patients with previous sinus surgery. Nearly 20% of isolates are resistant to fluoroquinolones. Resistance to levofloxacin is more common than resistance to ciprofloxacin. This study supports the use of culture-directed therapy in the management of the postfunctional endoscopic sinus surgery patient and the avoidance of empiric use of fluoroquinolones.