Nasopharyngeal flora in the first three years of life in normal and otitis-prone children.
Nasopharyngeal carriage of the three major middle ear pathogens (Streptococcus pneumoniae, nontypeable Hemophilus influenzae, and Moraxella catarrhalis) was evaluated prospectively in a group of 110 children followed up for the first 3 years of life. The findings suggested that nasopharyngeal carriage of middle ear pathogens increases significantly during respiratory illness among the general population of young children; however, otitis-prone children demonstrated a tendency to carry nontypeable H influenzae at an unusually high rate even during health. This propensity to carry nontypeable H influenzae might explain why nontypeable H influenzae is a major cause of recurrent or chronic otitis media.
Faden
H
H
Division of Infectious Diseases, State University of New York School of Medicine, Buffalo.
Waz
M J
MJ
Bernstein
J M
JM
Brodsky
L
L
Stanievich
J
J
Ogra
P L
PL
D002675:Child, Preschool; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006193:Haemophilus influenzae / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D001936:Moraxella catarrhalis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D009305:Nasopharynx / Q000382:microbiology*; D010033:Otitis Media / Q000382:microbiology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012016:Reference Values; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000382:microbiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae / Q000302:isolation & purification