A new study finds people with asthma and allergic rhinitis have different fungi in their noses than healthy people.
You’ve probably heard a lot about your gut microbiome, but your nose microbiome may be wreaking havoc with your health as well.
If you’ve got asthma or allergies, your nose may be filled with different fungi than what’s normally found in a healthy person, a new study finds. And that may be causing all the sneezing and itching, inflamed mucous membranes, and a blocked and runny nose.
Researchers tested nasal samples from hundreds of kids and young adults. The majority had asthma and/or allergic rhinitis, and the others were part of a control group.
The results showed “a very clear and significant difference” between the two groups. Those with asthma and allergic rhinitis had very different fungal colonies in their noses.
One author says, “This may suggest that allergic rhinitis increases the diversity and changes the composition of the upper airway’s microbiome.”
The researchers also discovered changes in key metabolic pathways that may be related to chronic respiratory disease.
They say these findings could help identify future targets for treatment or diagnosis.
Source: Frontiers in Microbiology
Author Affiliations: University of Porto
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