It has long been known that the incidence and course of otitis media are influenced by the const- itution of the patient. In order to contribute to further clarification of the above situation in terms of the antigen antibody factor, 22 infants with otitis media purulenta chronica were examined for allergy, and the following knowledge has ther- eby been obtained.
1) Otitis media purulenta chronica of infancy may be divided into the suppurative type (simple type) and allergic type; and the latter may be subdivided into the bacterial allergic type, food allergic type, and allergic type due to an unident- ified antigen.
2) In infancy, the food allergy type is of higher incidence than the bacterial allergy type, The incidence of a mixture of these types is very low.
3) Many of the drum membranes have large perforation in the allergic type and small perfora- tion in the suppurative type.
4) The otorrhea in the allergic type is mostly mucopurulent ; in the suppurative type, mostly purulent. Bacteriologically, the otorrhea in the allergic type is mostly of mixed infection; in the suppurative type, mostly of simple infection.
5) Many of the allergic cases have allergic diseases in their past history and/or family histo- ry. Their otitis media often takes long to heal, and the disease is often recurrent.
