Abstract
Bacteriological studies were carried out for middle ear effusions (MEEs) in patients diagnosed as having otitis media with effusion (OME). A total of 133 specimens of MEEs taken by myringotomy from 104 children were studied and the following results were obtained.
1) Microorganisms were isolated from 43 MEEs (32.3%); 22 (16.5%) were pathogenic and 21 non-pathogenic. The most common bacteria isolated was coagulase negative staphylococcus and the second common was H. influenzae.
2) Three frequent pathogens (H. influenzae, S. aureus, and S. pneumoniae) were fairly sensitive to eight antibiotics tested.
3) The cases treated by antibiotics for upper respiratory tract infection (URI) within a month showed high incidence of bacteria positive MEE. This suggested that URI was involved at the onset of OME and that bacteria in middle ear was not easily sterilized by a short-term administration of antibiotics.
4) Recurrence of MEE was frequently encountered in the cases with bacteria-positive MEE upon examination one month after the myringotomy.
5) It is concluded that microorganisms may play an important role in the pathogenesis of onset of, as well as delayed recovery from OME in children.
