1990 Volume 21 Issue 1 Pages 61-62
The role of the virus in the pathogenesis of otitis media with effusion (OME) was studied. Intratympanic inoculation of 0.2mL of influenza A virus (104PFU/mL) or lipopolysaccharide (LPS) from K. pneumoniae (100ng/mL) was not able to induce mucociliary dysfunction of the tubotympanum in the guinea pig. Intratympanic injection of such small amount of the LPS could induce middle ear effusions at 1-7 days in each animal previously treated with such small amount of the virus. Functional and morphological examinations demonstrated depression of ciliary activity and deteriorated mucociliary clearance of the tubotympanum. Our conclusion is that virus is a factor predisposing to OME and even small amount of endotoxin could induce the disease in the presence of preceding viral invasion in the middle ear.
