Severe acute middle ear infections: microbiology and treatment.
OBJECTIVE
The database at the ENT-Department, Aarhus University Hospital describing the specific local flora of acute otitis media (AOM) and acute mastoiditis (AM) in Aarhus County has become the key element in securing a rational and specific antibiotic treatment. We present our data concerning AOM, mastoidismus and AM. Our purpose is to determine (I) clinical presentation, (II) causative pathogens, (III) resistance patterns, (IV) type of antibiotic treatment, and (V) accuracy of the antibiotic treatment.


METHODS
Patients under the age of 18 years, treated for AOM with extensive affected well-being and AM, at the ENT-Department, Aarhus University Hospital during 3 years from January 2001 to December 2003.


RESULTS
A total of 106 patients were identified. Sixty-seven patients with AOM and 39 patients with AM. The overall bacterial flora found is dominated by S. pneumococci all 100% susceptible to penicillin. However, Staphylococcus aureus is the primary bacterial pathogens cultured from patients treated with preadmission antibiotics.


CONCLUSIONS
If a specimen from an AOM patient is obtained after the initiation of antibiotic treatment one should consider the possibility of the culture found being a result of the initial led treatment and not the causative AOM pathogen. Our data suggest that a restricted use of antibiotics in children with AOM may be associated with a higher incidence of acute mastoiditis. Significant higher leucocytes count and CRP are found in the acute mastoiditis group compared to the AOM group.
Heslop
Anders
A
University Hospital of Aarhus, The Ear, Nose and Throat Department, DK-8000 Aarhus, Denmark. heslop@dalnet.dk
Ovesen
Therese
T
D000208:Acute Disease; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008417:Mastoiditis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology*; D010033:Otitis Media / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology*; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013297:Streptococcus pyogenes / Q000302:isolation & purification
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents