Various Fungal Groups Linked to Allergy-Triggered Nasal Issues and Asthma: Research
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New Delhi, Dec 17 (NationPress) Individuals suffering from allergy-triggered nasal issues and asthma may host distinct fungal communities or mycobiomes in their nasal passages, according to a study released on Tuesday.
The prevalent respiratory condition, scientifically termed allergic rhinitis, is often found in conjunction with asthma. Common symptoms of allergic rhinitis encompass sneezing, itchiness, inflamed nasal mucous membranes, and a congested or runny nose. It is frequently comorbid with asthma, which is characterized by inflammation and obstructed airways.
Researchers from the University of Porto in Portugal revealed that this correlation may be attributed to distinct fungal colonies or mycobiomes present in the nasal passages.
"Our findings indicate that allergic rhinitis samples exhibited a notably higher fungal diversity and a different structure of fungal communities when compared to healthy controls," stated Dr. Luís Delgado from the University of Porto.
"This may imply that allergic rhinitis enhances the diversity and modifies the composition of the microbiome in the upper airway."
In order to investigate the nasal mycobiome, the researchers enlisted 214 individuals from children to young adults attending an immunology and asthma clinic in Porto. Approximately 155 patients were diagnosed with both allergic rhinitis and asthma, while 47 were solely diagnosed with allergic rhinitis and 12 with asthma. The team also included 125 healthy controls in their study.
The team analyzed 306 samples obtained through nasal swabs. DNA sequencing revealed that Ascomycota and Basidiomycota were the predominant fungal families across all samples. Within these two families, 14 genera were found to dominate the mycobiomes.
"Among these predominant genera, we identified common fungi that are recognized in humans as allergenic or opportunistic pathogenic fungi," Delgado noted. "This indicates that the nasal cavity serves as a significant reservoir for fungi that may play a role in allergic rhinitis and asthma."
The results, published in an article in the Frontiers in Microbiology journal, demonstrated a clear and statistically significant distinction between patients with respiratory diseases and healthy controls.
The fungi obtained from patients with both allergic rhinitis and asthma also showed more substantial evidence of connections among them than those in the nasal passages of healthy participants and individuals with only allergic rhinitis. This may suggest that the fungi are influencing the immune environment of the nasal cavity, as noted by the researchers.
