ABSTRACT
The relationship of home medication to the pathology and microbiological profiles of chronic otitis media was studied in 135 children with middle ear infections. Middle ear lesions were examined and sample obtained for microscopy and culture for bacterial and fungal pathogens. Of a total 115 patients who received home treatment, mostly with extracts of a local herb, Cleome ciliata and unprescribed antibiotics, 111 (96.5 pc) had chronic otitis media with purulent effusion (OME), compared with 11 (55 pc) otitis media (OM) cases among 20 patients who had not received such treatments (p less than 0.05). Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas spp. were the predominant isolates; the latter were the sole infecting agents in 41 episodes and occurred in 10 co-infections. Sensitivity pattern of bacterial isolates indicated that a large proportion of infections would respond to empiric treatment with gentamicin in anticipation of laboratory results on sensitivity tests. This report suggests further studies to define the significance of these medications in the pathogenesis of chronic OME in Nigerian children.
