Effect of a moustache on nasal Staphylococcus aureus colonisation and nasal cytology results in men

SOYLU E., Orhan I., ÇAKIR A., Istanbullu A., ALTIN G., Yilmazer R., ...More

Journal of Laryngology and Otology, vol.129, no.2, pp.155-158, 2015 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 129 Issue: 2
  • Publication Date: 2015
  • Doi Number: 10.1017/s002221511400334x
  • Journal Name: Journal of Laryngology and Otology
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus
  • Page Numbers: pp.155-158
  • Keywords: Staphylococcus Aureus, Nasal Cavity, Nasal Mucosa, Rhinitis
  • Istanbul Medipol University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

Objective: This study compared the results of nasal Staphylococcus aureus carriage and nasal cytology in men with and without a moustache. Methods: The study group comprised 118 adult men with a moustache, and the control group consisted of 123 adult men without a moustache. Samples were taken from the participants' right nasal cavity for cytology and from the left nasal cavity for microbiology. Results: The results for S aureus were positive in 19.5 per cent (n = 23) of participants with a moustache and in 20.3 per cent (n = 25) of men without a moustache. This difference was not significant (p > 0.05). However, nasal cytology revealed rich eosinophil clusters in participants with a moustache. Conclusion: The presence or absence of a moustache had no effect on nasal S aureus colonisation. However, further research is needed to understand whether the presence of a moustache increases the risk of allergic or non-allergic rhinitis.