2012 Volume 33 Issue 1 Pages 17-22
From among 24 children hospitalized and treated for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection, we evaluated the ages, disease severity, clinical features, eardrum findings, bacteria type, medical treatment, and clinical course of the 18 that had acute otitis media. In the children with RSV infection, the rate of complications of otitis media was significantly higher in those younger than 2 years of age than in those aged 2 years or more. The age of the first visit of the patients with RSV infection-associated acute otitis media was from 0 month to 3 years 5 months, with the average age being 12.3 months and the median being 11.5 months. The severity of acute otitis media was mild in seven, moderate in three, and severe in eight children. Of all children, only two were cured of otitis media without antibiotics and myringotomy. The ear drum findings were worse on the next day in four children with mild or moderate otitis media, so that we increased treatment of three patients. One of these four patients experienced a recurrence even after treatment. Bacteria were detected in the epipharynx of 12 patients and in the middle ear fluid of one patient. There was no correlation between bacterial findings and severity or clinical course. RSV infections associated with bronchiolitis requiring total inpatient care are frequently found infants. Because otitis media, even if mild, may worsen quickly, careful observation on consecutive days in cooperation with pediatricians is necessary.
