The microbiology of glue ear in Australian Aboriginal children.
OBJECTIVE
To study the bacterial cultures of middle ear aspirates from 27 Aboriginal children with otitis media with effusion.


METHODS
Standard bacteriological techniques were used to analyse the middle-ear aspirates collected during surgery to insert grommets in 27 Aboriginal children. Swabs of the tympanic membrane were taken for comparison.


RESULTS
Forty-five aspirates were collected from 59 myringotomies. Positive cultures were obtained from 19 of these (13 children) with potentially pathogenic organisms identified in 11 children including Staphylococcus, Pseudomonas, Haemophilus influenzae, Moraxella, Achromobacter, Enterobacter and Corynebacterium.


CONCLUSIONS
This is only the second study to look at the bacteria in middle ear effusions in Aboriginal children. Streptococcus pneumoniae was notable in its absence as was found in a previous study.
Stuart
J
J
The John Hunter Children's Hospital, The University of Newcastle, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia. jstuart@mail.newcastle.edu.au
Butt
H
H
Walker
P
P
D017677:Age Distribution; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006094:Gram-Positive Bacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008876:Middle Ear Ventilation / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009517:New South Wales / Q000453:epidemiology; D010034:Otitis Media with Effusion / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000601:surgery; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D017678:Sex Distribution; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents