People with allergy-induced sniffles and asthma may have different fungal colonies or mycobiomes in their noses, finds a study on Tuesday.

We’ve long been aware that the nasal cavity can function as a reservoir for bacteria, and that if pathogenic bacteria establish themselves there, they can spread to other parts of the respiratory tract and cause respiratory illnesses.

Nearly a quarter of Portuguese adults have allergies that cause a runny nose. This respiratory disease, formally called allergic rhinitis and frequently associated with asthma, is a common problem around the world,