Prevalence and Antimicrobial Susceptibility of Aerobic Bacterial Pathogens in Chronic Suppurative Otitis Media

Abstract

Objective: To determine the prevalence of aerobic bacterial organisms in chronic suppurative otitis media (tubotympanic variety), difference in isolation of aerobic bacterial organisms and to establish pattern of antimicrobial sensitivity of these isolates.

Study Design: Prospective comparative study

Place and Duration of Study: This study was conducted at the Department of Microbiology, Institute of Molecular Biology & Biotechnology, The university of Lahore, Pakistan from January 2015 to December 2015.

Materials and Methods: Two hundred patients with chronic suppurative otitis media were included. An ear swab was taken from the middle ear by insertion of nichrome wire loop and conventional sterile swab separately.

Results: Thirty-six (18%) were <10 years of age, 104 were females. Only a few cases were seen in higher age groups. Hundred samples were collected using nichrome wire loop and conventional sterile swabs each. Yield ratio of organisms was 94.5% of samples. Nichrome wire loop showed no advantage over the conventional sterile swab. Staphylococcus aureus was the most common organism isolated, followed by Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Proteus species. 92.9 % of the organisms were susceptible to ciprofloxacin and only 20.1% were susceptible to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole.

Conclusion: Bacterial isolates from ear samples with conventional sterile swab were found to be identical to those with nichrome wire loop. Conventional sterile swab was as good as nichrome wire loop for collection of ear samples.