People with allergy sniffles and asthma have different fungal colonies in their noses than folks who don't suffer respiratory allergies, researchers report.

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,