title: Bilateral nontuberculous mycobacterial middle ear infection: a rare case.
abstract: Nontuberculous Mycobacterium (NTM) middle ear infection is a rare cause of chronic bilateral intermittent otorrhea. We report a rare case of bilateral NTM middle ear infection in which a 55-year-old woman presented with intermittent otorrhea of 40 years' duration. The patient was treated medically with success. We conclude that NTM is a rare but probably under-recognized cause of chronic otitis media. A high index of suspicion is needed for the diagnosis to avoid prolonged morbidity. Treatment includes surgical clearance of infected tissue with appropriate antimycobacterial drugs, which are selected based on culture and sensitivity.
authors.affiliation: ORL Department, Faculty of Medicine, University Malaysia, Lot 77, Seksyen 22, KLTD, Jalan Tun Ahmad Zaidi Adruce, 93150 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia. ingptang@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Ing Ping
authors.initials: IP
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Shashinder
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: Raman
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rajagopalan
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001706:Biopsy; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004432:Ear, Middle / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008416:Mastoid / Q000601:surgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D009165:Mycobacterium Infections, Nontuberculous / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D019907:Mycobacterium fortuitum; D010000:Osteitis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D010035:Otitis Media, Suppurative / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D038781:Otoscopy; D012008:Recurrence; D012086:Reoperation; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents