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[Participation in causing O.M.E. with nasopharyngeal alpha-Streptococcus]
I Fujimori1, R Goto, K Hisamatsu
1Department of Otolaryngology, Yamanashi Medical University.
Insights
Normal pharyngeal flora plays a key role in upper respiratory tract defense. Reduced inhibitory activity by nasopharyngeal flora may contribute to otitis media with effusion (O.M.E.) in children.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Immunology
- Otolaryngology
Context:
- Otitis media with effusion (O.M.E.) is a common childhood condition.
- The role of the nasopharyngeal microbiome in O.M.E. pathogenesis is not fully understood.
- Normal pharyngeal flora is crucial for immune defense against respiratory pathogens.
Purpose:
- To investigate the role of normal pharyngeal flora in the defense against upper respiratory tract infections.
- To compare the incidence of key bacterial pathogens and the inhibitory activity of alpha-streptococci in children with O.M.E., chronic tonsillitis, and healthy controls.
- To determine if reduced inhibitory activity of nasopharyngeal flora contributes to O.M.E.
Summary:
- A bacteriological study of 50 children with O.M.E. identified higher incidences of *H. influenzae*, *S. pneumoniae*, *S. aureus*, *M. catarrhalis*, and group A Streptococcus compared to controls.
- In O.M.E. cases, the detection rate of alpha-streptococcal strains with inhibitory activity against these pathogens was significantly lower in the nasopharynx than in controls and lower than in the tonsils.
- Findings suggest a decline in the inhibitory capacity of normal nasopharyngeal flora may be a contributing factor to O.M.E. development.
Impact:
- This study highlights the importance of the nasopharyngeal microbiome's protective functions.
- Identifies a potential mechanism linking dysbiosis of normal flora to O.M.E. pathogenesis.
- Suggests therapeutic strategies targeting the restoration of normal flora's inhibitory activity may be beneficial for O.M.E. prevention and treatment.
Abstract:
The role of normal pharyngeal flora in the defense mechanism against infections in the upper respiratory tract was studied in 50 children with otitis media with effusion (O.M.E.). In the bacteriological study of the nasopharynx, the incidence of H. influenzae, S. pneumoniae, S. aureus, M. catarrhalis and group A Streptococcus was about 46%, 24%, 20%, 12% and 8%, respectively. The incidence of these species in the cases with O.M.E. was higher than that in the cases with chronic tonsilitis or control cases. In 41 O.M.E. cases with alpha-streptococci (82%), the incidence of alpha-streptococci with inhibitory activity against 5 pathogens (H. influenzae, S. pneumoniae, S. aureus, M. catarrhalis, group A Streptococcus) was examined. The detection rate of alpha-streptococcal strains with inhibitory activity against 5 pathogens derived from the nasopharynx in the cases with O.M.E. was significantly lower than that of the strain in the chronic tonsilitis cases and the control cases. Moreover, the detection rate of inhibitory alpha-streptococci from the nasopharynx was lower than that of from the tonsil. These findings suggest that the decline of inhibitory activity against pathogens by normal flora in nasopharynx is one of the factors causing O.M.E.