Diversity of cystic fibrosis chronic rhinosinusitis microbiota correlates with different pathogen dominance

Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) affects nearly all individuals with cystic fibrosis (CF) and is thought to serve as a reservoir for microbiota that subsequently colonize the lung. To better understand the microbial ecology of CRS, we generated a 16S rRNA gene sequencing profile of sinus mucus from CF-CRS patients. We show that CF-CRS sinuses harbor bacterial diversity not entirely captured by clinical culture. Culture data consistently identified the dominant organism in most patients, though lower abundance bacteria were not always identified. We also demonstrate that bacterial communities dominated by Staphylococcus spp. were significantly more diverse compared to those dominated by Pseudomonas spp. Diversity was not significantly associated with clinical factors or patient age, however, younger subjects yielded a much wider range of bacterial diversity. These data mirror bacterial community dynamics in the lung and provide additional insight into the role of sinus microbiota in chronic airway disease progression. (c) 2021 European Cystic Fibrosis Society. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

A study on patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) and chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) found that the sinuses of CF-CRS patients harbor diverse bacterial communities not fully captured by clinical culture. Bacterial communities dominated by Staphylococcus spp. showed significantly more diversity compared to those dominated by Pseudomonas spp. Younger patients exhibited a wider range of bacterial diversity, indicating potential differences in microbial dynamics with age.