Mayo Clinic Released: Wed 06-Oct-2004

October 8, 2004

http://www.newswise.com/articles/view/507510/

Source: Mayo Clinic Released: Wed 06-Oct-2004, 15:00 ET

Embargo expired: Fri 08-Oct-2004, 08:00 ET

Printer-friendly Version

Common Airborne Fungi Cause Chronic Stuffy Nose

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Science News Keywords

AIRBORNE FUNGI, RHINOSINUSITIS

Contact Information

Available for logged-in reporters only

Description

A team led by Mayo Clinic researchers has determined that over-

reactive immune responses to airborne fungi could cause the stuffy

noses and airway inflammation among sufferers of chronic

rhinosinusitis. These findings could one day lead to a new, longer-

lasting treatment.

Newswise — A team led by Mayo Clinic researchers has determined that

over-reactive immune responses to airborne fungi could cause the

stuffy noses and airway inflammation among sufferers of chronic

rhinosinusitis. These findings could one day lead to a new, longer-

lasting treatment.

" It's time to recognize there is a greater sensitivity to airborne

fungi in some patients, and therefore we need to remove or reduce

the fungal exposure, " says lead investigator Hirohito Kita, M.D.

In today's electronic edition of the Journal of Allergy and Clinical

Immunology http://www2.us.elsevierhealth.com/scripts/om.dll/serve?

action=searchDB & searchDBfor=home & id=ai, the Mayo Clinic researchers

and a colleague from the University of Utah conclude that certain

species of airborne fungus produce spores and by-products, that when

inhaled, prompt irregular and damaging immune responses. The

responses, in turn, produce the congestion and inflammation. Chronic

rhinosinusitis costs society about $5.6 billion a year. And that

doesn't include an estimated $70 million in annual lost work days,

as well as a diminished quality of life.

Implications of Research

" The fungi we're talking about are very common, " Dr. Kita. " They are

airborne fungi found anywhere in the United States. Now that we know

the role of the fungi, we can work toward reducing the potential

role of the fungi through such treatments as nasal irrigations

(flushing with water) that clear the fungi, or prescription of

antifungal medicines taken by mouth. "

Preliminary results show that the irrigation treatment relieves

symptoms. Larger, multicenter studies are needed before this

treatment can move into general use. But the results are encouraging

because they support the idea that reducing fungal exposure in

sensitive individuals could offer a new treatment option to

sufferers worldwide.

Background

Chronic rhinosinusitis is one of the most common chronic illnesses

in the United States. Its symptoms include persistent stuffy nose,

thick mucus production and loss of smell. Though chronic

rhinosinusitis causes significant discomfort and health problems, it

is not well understood. Viruses, bacteria and allergic reactions all

have been researched and debated as potential mechanisms driving the

responses. The immune system mounts different kinds of responses for

different invaders -- a bacterium gets attacked by a different cell

or system than an allergy-prompting particle, for example. That's

why it's critical to identify the key mechanisms in the immune

response to chronic rhinosinusitis, allowing researchers to design

treatments to relieve the distressing symptoms.

The Mayo Clinic work is the first to provide data for the role of

airborne fungi in chronic rhinosinusitis and to show that several

immune system branches appear to collaborate in response to the

fungi -- resulting in an abnormally enhanced response that causes

troublesome inflammation and congestion. The research team's data

show that specific cells in 90 percent of chronic rhinosinusitis

patients produce an enhanced immune-system response to one fungus in

particular, Alternaria. Another kind of common fungus, Cladosporium,

also provoked an abnormally enhanced immune response.

Mayo Clinic scientists previously used antifungal therapies to treat

patients with chronic sinusitis, which marked a new clinical

approach. These new findings serve to further support this

perspective and will prompt additional research.

The Investigation

Researchers tested blood from 18 patients with chronic

rhinosinusitis and 15 healthy persons to evaluate how specific

immune system cells responded to common airborne fungi. The immune

systems of those with chronic rhinosinusitis reacted more robustly

than those of healthy individuals. In fact, when exposed to

Alternaria, one branch of the immune system's response was five

times greater in the chronic rhinosinusitis patients than in the

healthy volunteers.

The research team investigated the body's responses to this fungal

exposure by measuring components within the two branches of the

adaptive immune system. The adaptive immune system takes several

days to mount a response to foreign invaders. The two branches of

the adaptive immune system are: 1) a cell-directed branch that

involves special cells known as T lymphocytes and 2) the humoral

branch, which works primarily through cells known as B lymphocytes.

Research Team Members and Support

In addition to Dr. Kita, the Mayo Clinic research team includes

Seung-Heon Shin, M.D.; Jens Ponikau, M.D.; Sherris, M.D.;

Congdon, M.D.; Evangelo Frigas, M.D.; Henry Homburger, M.D.;

and Mark Swanson. The University of Utah collaborator was Gerald

Gleich, M.D. Their work was supported by a grant from The National

Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases and by the Mayo

Foundation.

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October 8, 2004

Colloidal silver nasal spray is a gentle and very effective remedy for

this.

Barth

TOXIC MOLD SURVEY: www.presenting.net/sbs/sbssurvey.html

---

t> http://www.newswise.com/articles/view/507510/

t> Source: Mayo Clinic Released: Wed 06-Oct-2004, 15:00 ET

t> Embargo expired: Fri 08-Oct-2004, 08:00 ET

t> Printer-friendly Version

t> Common Airborne Fungi Cause Chronic Stuffy Nose

t> Libraries

t> Science News Keywords

t> AIRBORNE FUNGI, RHINOSINUSITIS

t> Contact Information

t> Available for logged-in reporters only

t> Description

t> A team led by Mayo Clinic researchers has determined that over-

t> reactive immune responses to airborne fungi could cause the stuffy

t> noses and airway inflammation among sufferers of chronic

t> rhinosinusitis. These findings could one day lead to a new, longer-

t> lasting treatment.

t> Newswise — A team led by Mayo Clinic researchers has determined that

t> over-reactive immune responses to airborne fungi could cause the

t> stuffy noses and airway inflammation among sufferers of chronic

t> rhinosinusitis. These findings could one day lead to a new, longer-

t> lasting treatment.

t> " It's time to recognize there is a greater sensitivity to airborne

t> fungi in some patients, and therefore we need to remove or reduce

t> the fungal exposure, " says lead investigator Hirohito Kita, M.D.

t> In today's electronic edition of the Journal of Allergy and Clinical

t> Immunology http://www2.us.elsevierhealth.com/scripts/om.dll/serve?

t> action=searchDB searchDBfor=home id=ai, the Mayo Clinic researchers

t> and a colleague from the University of Utah conclude that certain

t> species of airborne fungus produce spores and by-products, that when

t> inhaled, prompt irregular and damaging immune responses. The

t> responses, in turn, produce the congestion and inflammation. Chronic

t> rhinosinusitis costs society about $5.6 billion a year. And that

t> doesn't include an estimated $70 million in annual lost work days,

t> as well as a diminished quality of life.

t> Implications of Research

t> " The fungi we're talking about are very common, " Dr. Kita. " They are

t> airborne fungi found anywhere in the United States. Now that we know

t> the role of the fungi, we can work toward reducing the potential

t> role of the fungi through such treatments as nasal irrigations

t> (flushing with water) that clear the fungi, or prescription of

t> antifungal medicines taken by mouth. "

t> Preliminary results show that the irrigation treatment relieves

t> symptoms. Larger, multicenter studies are needed before this

t> treatment can move into general use. But the results are encouraging

t> because they support the idea that reducing fungal exposure in

t> sensitive individuals could offer a new treatment option to

t> sufferers worldwide.

t> Background

t> Chronic rhinosinusitis is one of the most common chronic illnesses

t> in the United States. Its symptoms include persistent stuffy nose,

t> thick mucus production and loss of smell. Though chronic

t> rhinosinusitis causes significant discomfort and health problems, it

t> is not well understood. Viruses, bacteria and allergic reactions all

t> have been researched and debated as potential mechanisms driving the

t> responses. The immune system mounts different kinds of responses for

t> different invaders -- a bacterium gets attacked by a different cell

t> or system than an allergy-prompting particle, for example. That's

t> why it's critical to identify the key mechanisms in the immune

t> response to chronic rhinosinusitis, allowing researchers to design

t> treatments to relieve the distressing symptoms.

t> The Mayo Clinic work is the first to provide data for the role of

t> airborne fungi in chronic rhinosinusitis and to show that several

t> immune system branches appear to collaborate in response to the

t> fungi -- resulting in an abnormally enhanced response that causes

t> troublesome inflammation and congestion. The research team's data

t> show that specific cells in 90 percent of chronic rhinosinusitis

t> patients produce an enhanced immune-system response to one fungus in

t> particular, Alternaria. Another kind of common fungus, Cladosporium,

t> also provoked an abnormally enhanced immune response.

t> Mayo Clinic scientists previously used antifungal therapies to treat

t> patients with chronic sinusitis, which marked a new clinical

t> approach. These new findings serve to further support this

t> perspective and will prompt additional research.

t> The Investigation

t> Researchers tested blood from 18 patients with chronic

t> rhinosinusitis and 15 healthy persons to evaluate how specific

t> immune system cells responded to common airborne fungi. The immune

t> systems of those with chronic rhinosinusitis reacted more robustly

t> than those of healthy individuals. In fact, when exposed to

t> Alternaria, one branch of the immune system's response was five

t> times greater in the chronic rhinosinusitis patients than in the

t> healthy volunteers.

t> The research team investigated the body's responses to this fungal

t> exposure by measuring components within the two branches of the

t> adaptive immune system. The adaptive immune system takes several

t> days to mount a response to foreign invaders. The two branches of

t> the adaptive immune system are: 1) a cell-directed branch that

t> involves special cells known as T lymphocytes and 2) the humoral

t> branch, which works primarily through cells known as B lymphocytes.

t> Research Team Members and Support

t> In addition to Dr. Kita, the Mayo Clinic research team includes

t> Seung-Heon Shin, M.D.; Jens Ponikau, M.D.; Sherris, M.D.;

t> Congdon, M.D.; Evangelo Frigas, M.D.; Henry Homburger, M.D.;

t> and Mark Swanson. The University of Utah collaborator was Gerald

t> Gleich, M.D. Their work was supported by a grant from The National

t> Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases and by the Mayo

t> Foundation.

t> ---------------------------------------------------------------------

t> -----------

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http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If you wish to use copyrighted

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t>

October 8, 2004