Nasopharyngeal culture with quantitative analysis of pathogenes in chronic otitis media with effusion. Effects on pathogen yield of different swabs and transport methods.
The influence of different swabs and transport media on nasopharyngeal culture pathogen recovery has been studied in patients with chronic otitis media with effusion. Transport times of less than two hours have been used. Protecting the cotton wire swab with a polyethylene shealth to prevent contamination by nasal flora did not have any significant influence either on the recovery of potential pathogens or on the contaminating nasal flora. Facilitating a quantitative analysis of the nasopharyngeal culture by transporting the specimen in empty tubes gave a pathogen recovery rate similar to that with transport in Stuart medium, whereas an attempt at transporting in sodium chloride or prereduced PY broth led to significantly lower yields of Branhamella catarrhalis (p less than 0.01) and in PY broth on Haemophilus influenzae as well (p less than 0.01).
Hemlin
C
C
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Karolinska Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
Brauner
A
A
Carenfelt
C
C
Wretlind
B
B
D002675:Child, Preschool; D002908:Chronic Disease; D006193:Haemophilus influenzae / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D008828:Microbiological Techniques; D001936:Moraxella catarrhalis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D009305:Nasopharynx / Q000382:microbiology*; D010034:Otitis Media with Effusion / Q000382:microbiology*; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013997:Time Factors