Middle ear aspirates (MEAs) versus conventional external ear swabs in chronic suppurative otits media(CSOM): A microbiological study in children
Abstract Text
Thiry six children with CSOM of the tubo tympanic type were studied for aerobic and anaerobic microorganisms using strict microbiological methodology. Comparison was made between the reults of the conventional external ear swabs and the MEAs. A total of 105 isolates (49 aerobes and 56 anaerobes) were cultured from the MEAs. The predominant organisms were Peptosttreptococcus, Pseudomonas aeurogenosa, Bacteroides, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Fusobacterium Sp. Forty beta lactamase producing bacteria were recovered from the MEAs. Mixed aerobic - anaerobic growth was detected in 62% of cases and anaerobes alone were cultured in 12% of the MEAs. On the other hand only 51% of the bacteria cultured from the MEAs were detected in the conventional external ear swabs which in significant number of cases yielded many organisms that were not isolated from the MEAs. CONCLUSION: The data demonstrate the polymicrobial, mixed pattern of growth in the tubo-tympanic CSOM in children. It also indicate that the conventional ear swabs can be misleading while cultures of the MEAs are more reliable in establishing the microbiological profile of CSOM and are more valuable in selecting the appropriate antimicrobial drugs.
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