Topical antibiotic therapy for perforated otitis in the COVID-19 pandemic

ABSTRACT

The developing resistance of microorganisms to the effects of antibacterial drugs creates difficulties in the treatment of purulent diseases. This is especially reasonable in the pandemic of a new coronavirus infection (COVID-19). The aggressive effect of new strains of the virus on the mucous membrane of the nasal cavity and nasopharynx contributes to the occurrence of complications such as acute purulent otitis media and exacerbation of chronic purulent otitis, both during coronavirus infection and in the postcovid period. Even before the start of the pandemic, antibiotic resistance was already one of the big problems in most countries of the world, this was due to the frequent unjustified appointment of systemic antibacterial agents for viral infection, as well as uncontrolled self-medication of the population with all available drugs. Due to the fear of people getting sick with COVID-19 and disagreements among doctors in treatment tactics, the use of systemic antibiotics and hor-monal drugs increased already in the first months of the pandemic. In the future, the unjustifiability of this tactic was proved, but many doctors continued to prescribe several systemic antibacterial drugs to patients with uncomplicated viral infection. Under the current conditions, when there is evidence of bacterial infection, it is rational to use local antibacterial drugs, which allows you to quickly reach high concentrations in the focus of inflammation and avoid side effects of systemic antibiotics. Among the existing means in the complex therapy of perforated otitis, a special place belongs to the preparations of the group of quinoxaline derivatives, which include hydroxymethylquinoxalindioxide (Dioxidine). The advantage of the drug is its effectiveness against resistant microorganisms, as well as stimulation of marginal tissue regeneration. This property is especially important in the treatment of perforated otitis media. © 2022, Remedium Group Ltd. All rights reserved.