bacteriology of secretory otitis media [SOM] in children

ABSTRACT

Aerobic and anaerobic bacteriological cultures were taken from middle ear effusions and the respective nasopharynx of 20 patients with secretory otitis media [SOM]. 70% of the effusions and 80% of the nasopharynx yielded positive culture for aerobic bacteria. The most frequent species in effusion samples were Staph. epidermidis and H. influenzae, while N. catarrhalis, H. influenzae and Staph. epidermidis were the most frequent species in the nasopharynx. Anaerobes were not isolated. In conclusion, it appears that aerobic bacteria may play a role in the pathogenesis of SOM and it can be assumed that the nasopharyngeal colonization may be a substantial causal factor of middle ear inflammation