Epidemiology and pathogenesis of chronic suppurative otitis media: implications for prevention and treatment

Despite advances in public health and medical care, chronic suppurative otitis media is still prevalent around the world. It is most common in developing countries and in certain high risk populations in developed nations, as well as among children who have tympanostomy tubes inserted. Since this chronic infection is caused by persistent acute otorrhea, which in turn is usually secondary to acute otitis media, prevention should be directed toward prompt and appropriate treatment of the acute middle-ear infection. Repair of chronic perforations should prevent recurrence, since reinfection is due either to reflux of pathogenic organisms from the nasopharynx into the middle ear, or water contamination from the external canal. Information from epidemiological studies, which show that populations can be categorized into highest, high, low and lowest prevalence, can be helpful in setting national priorities for prevention and treatment.