Bacteriology of chronic suppurative otitis media

ABSTRACT

A retrospective bacteriological study was conducted on 69 irregularly treated patients suffering from chronic suppurative middle ear disease at PAF Hospital, Masroor Karachi. Samples of pus discharge were taken from the external auditory meatus with conventional pus swabs and cultured on blood agar and McConkey's medium. Sixty [87%] samples showed growth within 48 hours. Organisms commonly regarded as pathogens were Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella, Streptococci, Proteus species and lactose fermenting coliform bacteria. Mixed infection was present in 20% of the cases. Gentamicin, tetracycline/doxycycline, chloramphenicol, cephalosporins and quinolones were found to be more effective antimicrobials showing higher sensitivity rate in vitro. Erythromycin showed reasonably good performance in Gram positive cocci