Acute otitis media.
One in 4 children will have at least 1 episode of acute otitis media (AOM) by age 10 years. AOM results from infection of fluid that has become trapped in the middle ear. The bacteria that most often cause AOM are Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, and Moraxella catarrhalis. Differentiating AOM from otitis media with effusion (OME) is a critical skill for physicians, as accurate diagnosis will guide appropriate treatment of these conditions. Although fluid is present in the middle ear in both conditions, the fluid is not infected in OME as is seen in AOM patients.
Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Kansas School of Medicine- Wichita, 1010 North Kansas, Wichita, KS 67214, USA. Electronic address: gdickson@kumc.edu.
Gretchen
G
Dickson
D000208:Acute Disease; D000700:Analgesics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D010033:Otitis Media / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic
D000700:Analgesics; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents
Acute otitis media; Antibiotics; Otitis media with effusion; Tympanostomy tube