Bacterial agents of discharging ears and antimicrobial sensitivity patterns in children in Ibadan, Nigeria

Bacteriological studies were carried out on ear swabs from 361 cases of children with discharging ears at the Microbiology Department of the University College Hospital, Ibadan between March 1995 and February 1997. 308 (85.3%) had positive cultures. 78.6% of these yielded one isolate, 19.2% yielded two isolates while 2.2% had three isolates. Pseudomonas spp. Was the predominant agent of CSOM and ASOM. This was followed by Staphylococcus aureus. Other commonly isolated organisms were Proteus and Klebsiella species. Ofloxacin and ciprofloxacin showed the highest activity to all isolates, while two third of the isolates were sensitive to azithromycin, cefuroxime, ceftriazone and gentimicin.