RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: To compare the bacteriologic features of anterior ethmoidal biopsy specimens between chronic rhinosinusitis without nasal polyps (CRSNP-), chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps(CRSNP+) and control patients. METHOD: The biopsy specimens obtained during the nasal endoscopic surgery were cultured for aerobic and anaerobic bacteria. RESULT: One hundred and nineteen biopsy specimens were processed for homogenization and semiquantitatively bacterial culture of aerobe and anaerobe. Bacterial culture were positive in 104 specimens (total culture-positive rate was 87.4%). The positive rate of aerobe or facultative anaerobe culture were 86.5%, 85.7%, 90.0% in CRSNP- group, CRSNP+ group and control group, respectively. There were no significant differences between 3 groups (P > 0.05). Mixed growth of aerobe and anaerobe bacteria were mainly detected in the biopsy specimens and the positive rate were 78.4%, 81.0% and 85.0% in CRSNP- group, CRSNP+ group and control group. There were no significant differences in 3 groups (P > 0.05). The most common aerobe bacteria found in 3 groups were coagulase-negative staphylococci and corynebacterium species and there were no significant differences between 3 groups (P > 0.05). The positive rate of anaerobic bacteria culture were 78.4%,76.2% and 77.5% in 3 groups. There were no significant differences between the groups (P > 0.05). Propionibacterium and peptostreptococcus species were the most common anaerobes, and there were no significant differences between 3 groups (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: There are no significant differences in the bacteriologic features of ethmoidal biopsy specimens between CRSNP+, CRSNP- and control patients. Therefore, bacterial infection may not play a key role in the pathogenesis of nasal polyps in CRS patients.