Background: Fungi have been increasingly recognized as important pathogens in
sinusitis. Fungal infection, mainly by moulds, can impose a severe acute and chronic
sinusitis in the immunocompromised host as chronic myeloid leukemia. Polymerase
Chain Reaction (PCR) is an important tool in diagnosis offiengi even in small amount in
the secretions. Objective: is to detect the presence of pathogenic fungi in chronic maxillary
sinusitis in cases of chronic myeloid leukemia patients by using PCR technique.
Patients and Methods: 20 patients of chronic myeloid leukemia suffering from maxillary
sinusitis (test group) and 5 patients with chronic maxillary sinusitis not suffering from
any immunocompromised disease (control group), both groups were subjected to
intranasal antrostomy then antral lavage were subjected to fimgal culture and PCR
techniques. Results: PCR detect 75% positive fungi in the test group but it was negative
in the control group, 25% of cases were detected by simple fungal culture, Aspergillus
spp. and Candida were present in positive cases. There is signcant difference between
PCR and fungal culture (P<0.05). Conclusion: PCR technique is a sensitive tool in
diagnosis of fitngal infection in chronic maxillary sinusitis in patients with chronic
myeloid leukemia. PCR is superior to ordinary fungal culture and can detect fungi even
in small amount offimgal spores. |
