title: Molecular Microbiological Profile of Chronic Suppurative Otitis Media.
abstract: Chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM) presents with purulent otorrhea (ear discharge), is characterized by chronic inflammation of the middle ear and mastoid cavity, and contributes to a significant disease burden worldwide. Current antibiotic therapy is guided by swab culture results. In the absence of detailed molecular microbiology studies of CSOM patients, our current understanding of the microbiota of CSOM (and indeed of the healthy ear) remains incomplete. In this prospective study, 24 patients with CSOM were recruited, along with 22 healthy controls. Culture-based techniques and 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing were used to profile the bacterial community for each patient. Comparisons between patients with and without cholesteatoma in the middle ear and mastoid cavity were also made. A major finding was that the middle ear of many healthy controls was not sterile, which is contradictory to the results of previous studies. However, sequencing data showed that Staphylococcus aureus, along with a range of other Gram-positive and Gram-negative organisms, were present in all subgroups of CSOM and healthy controls. Large interpatient variability in the microbiota was observed within each subgroup of CSOM and controls, and there was no bacterial community "signature" which was characteristic of either health or disease. Comparisons of the culture results with the molecular data show that culture-based techniques underestimate the diversity of bacteria found within the ear. This study reports the first detailed examination of bacterial profiles of the ear in healthy controls and patients with CSOM.
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Neeff
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Kristi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Biswas
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hoggard
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Michael W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand richard.douglas@auckland.ac.nz.
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Douglas
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001419:Bacteria / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D001431:Bacteriological Techniques; D044822:Biodiversity; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010035:Otitis Media, Suppurative / Q000382:microbiology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S