Gut microbiota composition in recurrent acute otitis media: a cross-sectional observational study

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Pediatrics
• Gastroenterology

Background:

• Recurrent acute otitis media (rAOM) is a common childhood illness, often resistant to treatment.
• Research primarily examines nasopharyngeal microbiome changes in rAOM, neglecting the gut microbiome's role.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between gut microbiome composition and rAOM in children aged 1-6 years.
• To identify specific bacterial taxa in the gut that correlate with rAOM or infection frequency.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional observational prospective study of 35 children (16 rAOM, 19 controls).
• Stool and nasopharyngeal samples collected post-antibiotic-free period.
• 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing (V3-V4 region) to analyze microbiota composition.
• Questionnaire data collected for confounding factors like daycare attendance.

Main Results:

• Limited significant differences in overall gut microbiota composition between rAOM and control groups.
• Six bacterial taxa showed weak statistical significance in differential representation.
• Turicibacter demonstrated the most significant correlation with multiple consecutive infections.
• Daycare attendance was a significant modifier of gut microbiota, independent of rAOM.

Conclusions:

• The gut microbiome shows limited direct compositional differences in children with rAOM.
• Correlations between specific gut bacteria (e.g., Turicibacter) and infection frequency suggest a potential indirect link.
• Further research is warranted to elucidate the gut microbiome's role in rAOM pathogenesis.