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Chlamydia: its influence in chronic secretory otitis media
M J Bellini1, R N Peel, R M Terry
1ENT Department, Seacroft Hospital, Leeds.
Insights
This study investigated Chlamydia trachomatis in children with chronic secretory otitis media. No evidence suggests Chlamydia trachomatis causes this common childhood ear infection in the UK population studied.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Infectious Diseases
- Otolaryngology
Background:
- Chlamydia trachomatis has been previously identified in neonatal middle ear effusions.
- Research has explored the role of chlamydia in chronic secretory otitis media in older children.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the presence of Chlamydia trachomatis in middle ear effusions of children with chronic secretory otitis media.
- To identify other potential bacterial and viral causes of the condition.
Main Methods:
- Middle ear effusion aspirates from 60 children were analyzed.
- An amplified enzyme-linked immunoassay was employed to detect Chlamydia trachomatis.
- Bacteriological and virological analyses were performed.
Main Results:
- Chlamydia trachomatis was not detected in any of the samples.
- Bacteriological and virological findings were consistent with previous UK studies.
- No association was found between Chlamydia trachomatis and chronic secretory otitis media in this cohort.
Conclusions:
- Chlamydia trachomatis does not appear to be implicated in the etiology of chronic secretory otitis media in the studied pediatric population.
- Further research may be needed to explore other potential causative agents.
Abstract:
Since Chlamydia trachomatis was isolated from middle ear effusions of neonates with natally acquired chlamydial infection (Tipple et al., 1979), there have been several studies to detect chlamydia in older children with chronic secretory otitis media, mainly by tissue culture. In this study, the aspirates of 106 middle ear effusions of 60 children with chronic secretory otitis media were investigated for the presence of C. trachomatis, other bacteria and viruses. An amplified enzyme-linked immunoassay was used to detect the presence of chlamydia. The bacteriological and virological results mirrored previous studies in the United Kingdom and no chlamydia were found. Chlamydia do not appear to be related to the aetiology of this disease in the population examined.