Fungal and bacterial flora of chronic suppurative otitis media in amritsar (punjab)

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Infectious Diseases
• Otolaryngology

Background:

• Chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM) is a persistent middle ear infection.
• Fungal and bacterial coinfections are increasingly recognized in CSOM cases.
• Understanding causative agents is crucial for effective treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify fungal and bacterial pathogens in ear discharge from CSOM patients.
• To determine the prevalence of fungal monoinfections and coinfections with bacteria.
• To evaluate the in vitro efficacy of newer antibiotics against isolated pathogens.

Main Methods:

• Ear discharge specimens from 182 CSOM patients were cultured for fungi and bacteria.
• Isolates were identified using standard microbiological techniques.
• Antibiotic susceptibility testing was performed for common bacterial isolates.

Main Results:

• Fungal cultures were positive in 13.7% of cases (7.6% fungal alone, 6.1% with bacteria).
• Bacteria were present in 60.4% of cases.
• Candida albicans (60%) and Aspergillus (40%) were the main fungal isolates. Pseudomonas aeruginosa (44.8%) and Staphylococcus aureus (20.4%) predominated among bacteria.
• Cefotaxime, Gentamicin, and Ciprofloxacin demonstrated high efficacy against gram-positive and gram-negative isolates.

Conclusions:

• Fungi, particularly Candida albicans and Aspergillus, play a significant role in CSOM.
• Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus are prevalent bacterial pathogens in CSOM.
• Newer antibiotics are effective against common CSOM isolates, guiding therapeutic choices.