Objectives: This study aims to examine the effect of topical mometasone furoate nasal spray on nasal Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) colonization in the treatment of allergic rhinitis.
Patients and methods: Between January 2012 and February 2013, 53 patients having perennial allergic rhinitis symptoms (37 females, 16 males) and 53 healthy controls (36 females, 17 males) were included in the study. Nasal cultures were obtained and evaluated before and after the treatment in allergic rhinitis patients who were admitted to the ear, nose and throat (ENT) outpatient clinic and receiving a mometasone furoate nasal spray treatment (200 mcg/day) once a day for one-month. In healthy controls, nasal cultures were obtained and evaluated once.
Results: In allergic rhinitis patients, five cultures were positive for S. aureus before the treatment while the number of cultures positive for S. aureus was six after the treatment. There was no significant difference in the pre-treatment and post-treatment S. aureus colonization between the patient group and controls (p>0.05).
Conclusion: Mometasone furoate nasal spray used in the treatment of allergic rhinitis appears to be ineffective for nasal S. aureus colonization.