Acute purulent otitis media in children older than 5 years. Incidence of Haemophilus as a causative organism.
It is generally believed that Haemophilus influenzae is not commonly a causative agent of otitis media in children older than 5 years of age. We recently studied cases of 58 children, aged from 5 to 9 years, who had acute otitis media. Haemophilus species were the causative agents in 36% of cases. This high incidence of Haemophilus isolation from the middle ear exudate of these children has important therapeutic implications; antibiotics effective against H influenzae should be employed when dealing with otitis media in this older age group.
D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D004432:Ear, Middle / Q000382:microbiology; D006190:Haemophilus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006192:Haemophilus Infections; D006801:Humans; D009343:Neisseria / Q000302:isolation & purification; D010033:Otitis Media / Q000209:etiology*; D013291:Streptococcus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013492:Suppuration / Q000209:etiology