Otitis media is a persistent, insidious, and dangerous disease because of multiple aetiology and serious complications. Hence, a study was conducted to find out the bacterial and fungal aetiology of suppurative otitis media.
Aim: The aim was to find the prevalence of bacterial and fungal pathogens in acute and chronic otitis media.
Materials and Methods: A total of 260 patients having otitis media belonging to all age groups and both sexes who attended the ENT outpatient department were selected for study for a period of 1-year. Ear discharge was collected under aseptic precautions using sterile cotton swabs. Both bacterial and fungal culture were done. The antimicrobial susceptibility of bacterial isolates was done including detection of extended-spectrum β-lactamase and detection of metallo β-lactamase for resistant strains.
Results: In acute suppurative otitis media, Gram-positive organisms 48 (55.18%) were predominant compared to Gram-negative organisms 37 (42.52%). No fungal isolates were obtained in the present study. In the case of chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM), bacteria were isolated in 129 (74.57%) cases and fungus in 41 (23.7%) cases. Polymicrobial infection was found only in 14 (10.85%) cases. Among the bacterial isolates in CSOM, Gram-negative organisms (65.35%) were more compared to Gram-positive organisms (35.65%).
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