When spring comes Many of us will sniff out seasonal allergies. Recently, scientists have identified some basic differences between people who suffer from a runny nose and those who don't. and related to fungus in the nose as well
An international team of researchers says people with allergic rhinitis and asthma have different levels of fungus in their noses than people without symptoms. Their findings are detailed on December 17th. study Published in the journal Frontiers in microbiologyIt may have important applications for future treatments for allergies and asthma.
“We show that allergic rhinitis samples display significantly higher fungal diversity and a different fungal community structure compared to healthy controls,” says Luís Delgado from the University of Po. Marto, who participated in the study, said in Frontiers in microbiology statement– Allergic rhinitis is the medical term for allergy symptoms such as a runny nose, sneezing, itching, and inflamed nasal mucosa.
“This may suggest that allergic rhinitis increases the diversity and changes the composition of the upper airway microbiome,” Delgado added. Allergic rhinitis is often linked to asthma. This is also associated with inflammation and airway obstruction. Researchers suggest that allergic rhinitis and asthma may be two aspects of the same symptom.
The team, including researchers from George Washington University, examined nasal swabs from 215 patients from an immunology and asthma clinic in Porto. Portugal In addition to the 125 healthy patients, 155 clinic patients had both allergic rhinitis and asthma, 47 had allergic rhinitis only, and 12 only asthma.
They then sequenced the fungal DNA from the nasal swabs and “detected common fungi that are recognized in humans as either allergic or opportunistic,” Delgado said.
“This confirms at the fungal level what was already known about bacteria, that the nasal cavity is an important reservoir for opportunistic pathogens that can cause allergic rhinitis and asthma,” the researchers wrote in the study. While these pathogenic fungi were discovered in every sample, Delgado and his colleagues found that clinic patients had richer and more diverse nasal fungal communities than healthy people. The team also noted that the fungi of patients with both respiratory diseases The type affects the immune environment of the nose.
However, the most important thing is that they also found a surplus of 5-aminoimidazole ribonucleotide which is a chemical compound involved in energy metabolism and DNA synthesis in the nose of patients with both types of respiratory disease Scientists recommend that through further research This potential link could shape future treatments targeting AIR to treat or diagnose nasal allergies and asthma.
The team plans to conduct a follow-up study to give hope to the hundreds of millions of people who tell their friends it's true. Just lost Every time I pick up a tissue