Clinical bacteriology of recurrent otitis media with effusion.

Conclusions: Staphylococcus species were the most common bacterial isolates from patients with otitis media with effusion (OME). Unexpectedly, however, there was no difference in the identity or antibiotic resistance of bacteria isolated from patients with recurrent and non-recurrent OME.

Objectives: Antibiotic resistance has increased due to indiscriminate overuse and misuse of antibiotics. Bacterial strains isolated from patients with recurrent OME seem to be more pathogenic and more resistant to antibiotics than strains isolated from patients with non-recurrent OME. The aim of this study was to evaluate the differences in identity and antibiotic sensitivity profiles of bacterial strains isolated from patients with recurrent and non-recurrent OME.

Methods: We collected 900 middle ear fluid (MEF) samples from 654 pediatric patients who underwent ventilation tube insertion due to OME, then compared the identity and antibiotic sensitivity profiles of bacterial strains. Recurrent OME was defined as a requirement for ventilation tube reinsertion after tube extrusion.

Results: There was no difference in the identity of bacterial isolates from patients with non-recurrent and recurrent OME regardless of the number of ventilation tubes inserted. Antibiotic sensitivity tests showed that the two groups differed in sensitivity to penicillin and erythromycin, but not to other antibiotics.