Isolation of fungi by standard laboratory methods in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis

Abstract

Objectives/hypothesis: Allergic fungal sinusitis and the role of fungi in the pathogenesis of chronic rhinosinusitis are topics of interest and controversy in rhinology. The classification of chronic rhinosinusitis as either a bacterial infection or an allergic (eosinophilic) reaction to fungi has significant implications for treatment of this disease process. We designed a study to determine whether standard isolation techniques, as employed in a university hospital mycology laboratory, could isolate and identify fungi in the intraoperative specimens from patients undergoing functional endoscopic sinus surgery for chronic rhinosinusitis.

Study design: Forty-five random patients with a diagnosis of chronic rhinosinusitis by clinical and computed tomography criteria underwent endoscopic sinus surgery during 2001, performed by two senior surgeons (J.B.J., R.A.L.). Specimens of mucin, sinus secretions, and/or tissue were obtained intraoperatively and sent to the New York University Medical Center (New York, NY) mycology laboratory for isolation and identification of fungi.

Methods: Specimens were treated with Sputolysin and chloramphenicol; plated on Sabouraud, ChromAgar/Candida, Mycosel, and Niger seed agar plates; and incubated at 30 degrees C (or 37 degrees C) for up to 1 month.

Results: We were able to demonstrate the presence of fungi in 56% of intraoperative specimens obtained from patients undergoing surgery for chronic rhinosinusitis.

Conclusions: Using a standard hospital mycology laboratory protocol, which is relatively inexpensive and readily available, fungus can be isolated from a majority of patients undergoing functional endoscopic sinus surgery for chronic rhinosinusitis. Educational statement: Discuss the possible role of fungus in chronic rhinosinusitis and evaluate the efficacy of documenting the presence of fungus in a routine fashion to encourage clinically relevant directed treatments.)