title: Serous otitis media (S.O.M.). A bacteriological study of the ear canal and the middle ear.
abstract: A bacteriological study of the middle-ear effusions and the ear canals in children with chronic serous otitis media (S.O.M.) was performed. Sixty-eight children (127 ears) were investigated. From this study it appeared that cleansing of the ear canal with 0.5% chlorhexidine in 70% ethanol for 30 s is partially effective; micro-organisms (diptheroids, Staphylococcus epidermidis) could still be isolated in 29%. Cleansing of the ear canal decreases the incidence of middle-ear fluid contamination by non-pathogenic ear canal organisms (diptheroids, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Aerococcus), but after cleansing, 'non-pathogenic' micro-organisms could still be isolated in 33% of the effusions (diptheroids, Staphylococcus epidermidis). From 12% of the middle-ear effusions pathogenic micro-organisms (Hemophilus influenzae, Staphylococcus pneumoniae) were isolated; cleansing of the ear canal did not influence this percentage. Anaerobics were not isolated from the middle-ear effusions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, Free University Hospital, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: S I
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Cabenda
authors.forename: P G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Peerbooms
authors.forename: G J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: van Asselt
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Feenstra
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: van der Baan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001419:Bacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D000077286:Cetrimonium; D002593:Cetrimonium Compounds / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002710:Chlorhexidine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003352:Corynebacterium / Q000302:isolation & purification; D003902:Detergents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004424:Ear Canal / Q000382:microbiology*; D004432:Ear, Middle / Q000382:microbiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D010034:Otitis Media with Effusion / Q000382:microbiology*; D013291:Streptococcus / Q000302:isolation & purification
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D002593:Cetrimonium Compounds; D003902:Detergents; D002710:Chlorhexidine; D000077286:Cetrimonium