Research
At least two-thirds of sinusitis cases are caused by two bacteria, Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae. These bacteria also can cause otitis media (middle ear infection) in children as well as pneumonia and acute worsening of chronic bronchitis in people of all ages. The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) is supporting many studies to better understand how these bacteria infect as well as to identify potential candidates for future vaccine strategies that could eliminate these diseases.
A project supported by NIAID is developing an advanced "sinuscope" that will permit improved airway evaluation during a medical examination, especially when a doctor is considering surgical intervention.
Scientific studies have shown a close relationship between having asthma and sinusitis. For example, the vast majority of people with moderate to severe asthma also have chronic sinusitis. Health experts have suggested that chronic sinusitis and asthma may be the same disease manifested in two parts of the respiratory system: upper and lower.
NIAID conducts and supports research on asthma that will lead to a better understanding of the causes behind chronic bronchial inflammation in asthma. This will advance our understanding of the causes of chronic sinusitis and lead to the development of more effective treatments and ways to prevent the disease.
Scientists supported by NIAID and other institutions are also investigating whether chronic sinusitis has genetic causes. They have found that certain alterations in the gene that causes cystic fibrosis may increase the likelihood of developing chronic sinusitis. This research is giving scientists new insights into the cause of the disease in some people and points to new strategies for diagnosis and treatment.
Other NIAID-supported research is examining whether chronic sinusitis can be caused by an unusual reaction to fungi normally found inside the nose and the sinuses. One study has recently shown that when blood cells from people with chronic sinusitis are exposed to fungal material, those cells make chemicals that produce inflammation. This raises the possibility that fungi may play a role in some cases of chronic sinusitis. NIAID is supporting trials of antifungal drugs to determine whether, and for whom, this new treatment strategy holds promise.
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