Is chronic rhinosinusitis caused by persistent respiratory virus infection?

Background: Many chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) patients recall an upper respiratory tract infection as the inciting event of their chronic illness. Viral infections have been shown to cause obstruction of the osteomeatal complex, which is likely to be a critical step in the development of CRS. There is clear overlap between the pathogenesis of CRS and asthma. Infections with respiratory viruses in childhood increase the risk of subsequently developing asthma. Viral infections in established asthmatics are associated with acute exacerbations. We sought to determine whether respiratory viruses could be detected within the sinonasal mucosa of CRS patients using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) techniques.

Methods: Sinus mucosa was sampled from 13 patients with CRS and 2 patients with normal sinuses. PCR was used to look for common respiratory viruses (parainfluenza 1, 2, and 3; respiratory syncytial virus [RSV]; human metapneumovirus [hMPV]; adenovirus [ADV]; rhinovirus; coronavirus; bocavirus [BoV]; cytomegalovirus [CMV]; and influenza A and B).

Results: No respiratory viruses were detected in any of the samples.

Conclusion: Persistence of respiratory viruses within the sinonasal mucosa is unlikely to be a cause of ongoing inflammation in CRS. The possibility remains that a transient viral infection provides the initial inflammatory stimulus.