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A retrospective evaluation of microbiology of acute otitis media complicated by spontaneous otorrhea in children living in Milan, Italy

  • Clinical and Epidemiological Study
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Abstract

Purpose

To evaluate the microbiology of acute otitis media (AOM) with otorrhea due to spontaneous tympanic membrane perforation (STMP) in children living in Milan, Italy.

Methods

We evaluated middle ear fluid (MEF) specimens taken from children affected by AOM associated with STMP and otorrhea between January 2001 and December 2011. The fluid was collected by means of direct swab sampling, sent for culture, and processed within 4 h.

Results

A total of 705 specimens were obtained from 458 children (233 boys; mean age ± SD 28.3 ± 19.9 months), and were positive for bacteria in 487 cases (69.1 %). The most frequently cultured infectious agent in single-pathogen cultures was Haemophilus. influenzae (51.0 %), followed by Streptococcus pneumoniae (19.4 %), Streptococcus pyogenes (17.4 %), and Staphylococcus aureus (10.7 %). After adjusting for the sub-period of data collection, age, gender, and previous full heptavalent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV-7) schedule, it was found that the prevalence of H. influenzae slightly increased in 2008–2010, and the prevalence of S. pneumoniae significantly decreased over time (p = 0.02).

Conclusions

AOM with STMP is a particular form of AOM in which S. pyogenes plays a significant causative role although, as in uncomplicated cases, H. influenzae and S. pneumoniae retain their etiological importance. The frequency of the detection of S. aureus in MEF deserves further study because this pathogen can give rise to severe clinical problems. Finally, although the use of PCV-7 was relatively efficacious, the benefit of pneumococcal vaccination would be increased by vaccines including a larger number of serotypes.

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Conflict of interest

The authors have no conflict of interest to declare. This study was supported by a Ricerca Corrente grant from Fondazione IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, Pediatric Clinic 1, Università degli Studi di Milano, Fondazione IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Via Commenda 9, 20122, Milan, Italy

    P. Marchisio, S. Bianchini, E. Baggi, M. Fattizzo, N. Principi & S. Esposito

  2. Department of Epidemiology, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri, Milan, Italy

    C. Galeone

  3. Department of Clinical Medicine and Community Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy

    C. Galeone

  4. Department of Clinical Medicine and Community Health, Otolaryngology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy

    S. Torretta

Authors
  1. P. Marchisio
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  2. S. Bianchini
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  3. E. Baggi
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  4. M. Fattizzo
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  5. C. Galeone
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  6. S. Torretta
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  7. N. Principi
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  8. S. Esposito
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to S. Esposito.

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Marchisio, P., Bianchini, S., Baggi, E. et al. A retrospective evaluation of microbiology of acute otitis media complicated by spontaneous otorrhea in children living in Milan, Italy. Infection 41, 629–635 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s15010-012-0371-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s15010-012-0371-1

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