Hay fever and your gut

Hay fever, technically referred to as allergic rhinitis, is a condition that affects many people globally. It has always been unclear how the nasal microbiome, i.e., the microorganisms in the nose, contribute to this condition.

In a recent publication in Nature Microbiology researchers compared the nasal microbiome of 55 hay fever sufferers with 105 “healthy” individuals. They found that the hay fever sufferers had a different nasal microbiome. Key differences were a decrease in the variability of microbes and an increase Streptococcus salivarius, a common commensal and occasional probiotic of the oral (mouth) cavity.

The researchers then demonstrated that Streptococcus salivarius was contributing to the development of hay fever by increasing inflammation of the nasal tissues.

Anecdotal evidence suggests that some probiotics can have an inhibitory effect on hay fever. This new research may point to a mechanism in the inhibition of Streptococcus salivarius. 

Yet one more example of our profound connection to and dependence upon the microbial universe that lives in and on us all!

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41564-022-01301-x

By Don Pearson, Technical Director, BioBrew Ltd