Anders Cervin

Treatment of Chronic Sinusits and Middle Ear Infections (Otitis Media) with Probiotics

Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) affects 8-10% of the western population, mainly middle-aged adults in the prime of their working life, and causes a significant reduction in quality of life. Although unproven the mainstay of treatment have been antibiotics, unfortunately with limited long-term success. Another difficult to treat infection, is recurrent middle ear infection, especially prevalent in Indigenous children. Our research group have focused on identifying friendly bacteria in the upper airways of indigenous children as well as adults with chronic sinusitis. The approach is unique as we are targeting what is maintaining health rather than what causes disease. Thus we have identified a number of bacterial strains that have the capability of interfering with the pathogenic bacteria commonn in chronic sinusitis as well as in recurrent ear disease. We are now in the process of setting up clinical trials to test the effect of friendly bacteria on bacterial colonisation in the ears and sinuses. Should it be successful, it would be a paradigm shift in the way we treat upper airway infections and reduce the need for antibiotics and help to reduce antibiotic resistance in the community.