Prevalence of otitis media in a Venda village

During mid-winter in 1985, 263 children and 217 adults from a remote rural community in Venda, were examined for the presence of middle ear lesions by: pneumatic otoscopic examination; tympanometry; and contralateral acoustic reflex. A diagnostic algorithm was applied to assess the findings. The prevalence of otitis media (OM) in children (less than or equal to 15 years) was 8.4% and in adults (greater than 15 years) 2.3%, with the highest figure in the 0-23 months age group. OM with effusion was found in 3.6% of the children. Our data suggest the existence of considerable differences in the prevalence of OM between comparable black rural communities.