Bacterial Agents Causing Chronic Suppurative Otitis Media

Abstract

Background: Otitis media which is an acute or chronic inflammatory state of the middle ear may be classified as suppurative or non—suppurative.

Methods: A total of 100 ear swabs from cases of chronic otitis media were variously collected from  patients attending the ENT Clinic. Specimens were immediately transported in a transport medium to the base laboratory of the Department of Microbiology.

Results: Out of a total number of 100 cases of chronic otitis media screened for the isolation of bacterial aetiologic agents, 8 different genera comprising 13 bacterial species were isolated. These included S. aureus (39%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (25%), Proteus mirabilis (16%), Alcaligenes faecalis (5%) and Klebsiella aerogenes (1%). Escherichia coli, Proteus rettgeri, Staphylococcus epidermidis, and Klebsiella pneumoniae, constituted (3%), (3%), (3%) and 1% of isolates in that respective order. From the number of cases screened, it was observed that 54 (54% and 46(46%) were males and females respectively.

Conclusion: We conclude that higher prevalence of otitis media among males than females and S. aureus has been identified as the leading pathogen in chronic otitis media.

Keywords: Bacterial Infections, Etiology, Otitis Externa.