title: Epidemiologic study of conjunctivitis-otitis syndrome.
abstract: We conducted a prospective cross-sectional epidemiologic study of conjunctivitis-otitis syndrome during two 3-week periods of consecutive winters. A representative sample of 184 pediatricians and ear, nose and throat specialists in the Paris area recruited 2901 children from 6 to 36 months of age presenting with acute otitis media, of whom 465 (16%) also had purulent conjunctivitis. In sampled children, the culture of the conjunctival exudate yielded bacterial pathogens in 419 patients: Haemophilus influenzae, 371 (89%); Streptococcus pneumoniae, 72 (17%); and Branhamella catarrhalis, 23 (5%). Pulsed field gel electrophoresis analysis of paired H. influenzae isolates from the conjunctival exudate and middle ear fluid of 21 patients showed identical strains in each patient.
authors.affiliation: Service de Microbiologie, Hôpital Robert Debré, Paris, France. edouard.bingen@rdb.ap-hop-paris.fr
authors.forename: Edouard
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bingen
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cohen
authors.forename: Nadejda
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Jourenkova
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gehanno
mesh_terms: D002675:Child, Preschool; D003231:Conjunctivitis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D006192:Haemophilus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D006193:Haemophilus influenzae; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D001936:Moraxella catarrhalis; D045828:Moraxellaceae Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D010033:Otitis Media / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D011008:Pneumococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology