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Risk of otitis media with effusion (OME) in children by Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Amir Emami1, Neda Pirbonyeh2, Afagh Moattari3
1Department of Microbiology, Burn & Wound Healing Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
Insights
Pseudomonas aeruginosa was the most common cause of otitis media with effusion (OME) in children. Understanding regional OME infection patterns is crucial for effective pediatric treatment.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Infectious Diseases
- Microbiology
- Otolaryngology
Background:
- Otitis media with effusion (OME) affects two-thirds of children globally.
- Identifying causative agents of pediatric OME is critical for effective management.
- Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a suspected pathogen in OME cases.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the prevalence of bacterial and viral pathogens in pediatric OME.
- To specifically evaluate the role of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in OME.
- To correlate infection patterns with patient origin.
Main Methods:
- Collected 42 middle ear fluid (MEF) samples from pediatric OME patients.
- Utilized bacterial culture and molecular methods (PCR, RT-PCR) for pathogen detection.
- Tested for a range of bacterial and viral agents using specific primers.
Main Results:
- Pseudomonas aeruginosa (33.33%) and Streptococcus pneumoniae (14.29%) were the most prevalent bacterial pathogens.
- Bacterial infections were present in 66.67% of cases; viral infections in 11.9% (Influenza A).
- No infectious agents were detected in 21.42% of samples; P. aeruginosa was more common in tropical/humid regions.
Conclusions:
- Pseudomonas aeruginosa is the leading infectious agent identified in pediatric OME.
- OME infection patterns vary geographically, with P. aeruginosa linked to tropical/humid areas.
- Tailoring treatment based on localized OME infection epidemiology is recommended.
Objective:
Two third of children in the world experience otitis media with effusion (OME) at least once in their life. According to the importance of knowing OME reason in pediatrics, beside introduced probable bacterial and viral causal agents, Pseudomonas aeruginosa was evaluated either.
Methods:
In this study, 42 middle ear fluid (MEF) samples were collected from pediatrics who confirmed OME by an ears, nose and throat (ENT) specialist. Samples were cultured on bacteriological media for bacterial growth and were either extracted for total DNA and RNA to be tested for introduced bacterial and viral agents with simple and Reverse Transcriptase PCR method within specific primers.
Results:
Total results from culture and molecular methods showed that the most prevalent infections were Pseudomonas aeruginosa and streptococcus pneumonia with 33.33% and 14.29% respectively. In total, 66.67% of patients were infected with bacteria, 11.9% with test viruses while in 21.42% of patients no infectious agents were detected. Influenza type A was the only virus was detected.
Conclusion:
Pseudomonas aeruginosa was the most prevalent agent while mostly detected in patients who were referred from the tropical and humid region. According to these results, it is highly recommended to know the pattern of OME infection in each area separately for more successful treatment.
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