Acute Otitis Media in Children-Challenges of Antibiotic Resistance in the Post-Vaccination Era

Area of Science:

• Pediatrics
• Infectious Diseases
• Microbiology

Background:

• Acute otitis media (AOM) remains a primary reason for antibiotic prescriptions in children globally.
• The prevalence of antibiotic resistance in AOM pathogens persists despite advancements like pneumococcal conjugate vaccines.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the bacterial spectrum of AOM in pediatric patients.
• To investigate the antimicrobial resistance patterns in culture-positive AOM cases.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of tympanocentesis-based data from hospitalized children with AOM.
• Data collected from "St Mary" Emergency Hospital for Children Iasi, Romania, between January 2013 and December 2021.
• Assessment of 147 samples, with 97 yielding positive bacterial cultures.

Main Results:

• Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae were the predominant microorganisms identified.
• A high rate of multidrug resistance was observed, with 82.85% of Streptococcus pneumoniae strains exhibiting resistance.
• Both identified pathogens are listed by the WHO as priority organisms due to antimicrobial resistance.

Conclusions:

• The study highlights a significant challenge posed by multidrug-resistant S. pneumoniae and H. influenzae in pediatric AOM.
• Urgent development and implementation of antimicrobial resistance strategies are crucial.
• Addressing resistance is vital to reduce the economic burden associated with AOM hospitalizations.