title: Effects of azelastine nasal spray on nasal and nasopharyngeal microflora.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Azelastine nasal spray is a topical antihistaminic drug for the symptomatic treatment of allergic rhinitis. This study aimed to investigate the effects of azelastine on nasal and nasopharyngeal microflora.
  
  
  METHODS
  Swab samples from 25 patients prescribed azelastine nasal spray monotherapy were collected just before treatment and after 1 month of treatment. After incubation of inoculates, the number of bacteria present in cultures was measured (in colony-forming units per millilitre).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Evaluation of the number of microflora revealed increased bacterial reproduction after treatment, but this difference was not statistically significant. The use of azelastine nasal spray decreased the reproduction of three potentially pathogenic bacteria; however, it did not affect the reproduction of other potentially pathogenic bacteria.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The use of azelastine nasal spray for one month did not have a statistically significant effect on the numbers of nasal and nasopharyngeal microflora; it is therefore safe from a microbiological viewpoint.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology,Bezmialem Vakif University,Fatih,Istanbul,Turkey.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Aksoy
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology,Bezmialem Vakif University,Fatih,Istanbul,Turkey.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Senturk
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology,Bezmialem Vakif University,Fatih,Istanbul,Turkey.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Doğan
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology,Bezmialem Vakif University,Fatih,Istanbul,Turkey.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Veyseller
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology,Bezmialem Vakif University,Fatih,Istanbul,Turkey.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ozturan
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Clinical Microbiology,Cerrahpaşa Faculty of Medicine,University of Istanbul,Fatih,Istanbul,Turkey.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gönüllü
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Clinical Microbiology,Cerrahpaşa Faculty of Medicine,University of Istanbul,Fatih,Istanbul,Turkey.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Yilmaz
mesh_terms: D000281:Administration, Intranasal; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D018926:Anti-Allergic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006094:Gram-Positive Bacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009297:Nasal Mucosa / Q000382:microbiology; D059085:Nasal Sprays; D009305:Nasopharynx / Q000382:microbiology*; D010793:Phthalazines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D018926:Anti-Allergic Agents; D059085:Nasal Sprays; D010793:Phthalazines; C020976:azelastine
keywords: Allergic; Azelastine; Nasal Sprays; Rhinitis