The study evaluated (only) 10 healthy patients and 10 suffering from chronic sinusitis. Within this small study population, they found over 1482 different species of 'germs' were found in LOWER abundances in patients suffering from chronic sinusitis compared to healthy sinuses.
Yes... germs are found in healthy sinuses, but compared to diseased sinuses, there is a more abundant AND diverse composition of germs in normal sinus cavities. In particular, probiotic species Lactobacillus sakei was found to be particularly reduced in chronic sinusitis patients. Other species also reduced in chronic sinusitis patients included Carnobacterium alterfunditum, Enterococcus mundtii, and Pediococcus pentosaceus.
Corynebacterium tuberculostearicum was the only bacteria found significantly increased in diseased sinus cavities compared to healthy sinus cavities.
Other studies have supported the decreased biodiversity and abundance of microbes in chronic sinusitis though the compositions are somewhat different between studies.
Based on these results, several research teams (UCSF and Baylor) are trying to determine the right cocktail of probiotics to add to nasal rinses that can be performed to help replenish the microbiotia of diseased sinus cavities back into a healthier (normal) composition.
Unlike the benefit found for the stomach and intestines, it has already been determined that oral intake of probiotics is NOT effective in the treatment of diseased sinuses [link] which is why focus is more towards nasal rinse applications.
Of course, that has not stopped some laypeople from doing their own research on themselves, most notably Lacto Bacto which documents alleged successful chronic sinusitis treatment by applying spicy fermented cabbage (Korean kimchi) to the nose.
Hopefully, in the next few years, research will provide commercially available effective probiotic sinus rinse treatments.
References:
Sinus microbiome diversity depletion and Corynebacterium tuberculostearicum enrichment mediates rhino sinusitis. Sci Transl Med. 2012 Sep 12;4(151):151ra124. doi: 10.1126/scitranslmed.3003783.
Sinus microbiota varies among chronic rhinosinusitis phenotypes and predicts surgical outcome. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2015 Aug;136(2):334-42.e1. doi: 10.1016/j.jaci.2015.02.008. Epub 2015 Mar 26.
Decreased diversity of nasal microbiota and their secreted extracellular vesicles in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis based on a metagenomic analysis. Allergy. 2014 Apr;69(4):517-26.
Probiotics in the Treatment of Chronic Rhinoconjunctivitis and Chronic Rhinosinusitis. Journal of Allergy Volume 2014 (2014), Article ID 983635, 7 pages. http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2014/983635
The One Probiotic That Treats Sinusitis. Lacto Bacto. 1/12/15
Probiotics as adjunctive treatment for chronic rhinosinusitis: A randomized controlled trial. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg February 2009 vol. 140 no. 2 202-208
