Microbial profile of acute otitis media among children in Sana'a-Yemen

Abstract EN

Objective: To determine the predominant pathogens causing acute otitis media (AOM) among children in Sana'a-Yemen and to test the susceptibility of these pathogens to different anti-microbial agents.

Methods: One hundred and thirty ear swabs were collected from children suffering of AOM, cultured onto different cultural media, then the isolates were identified depending on the direct smear, cultural characters and biochemical reactions according to standard microbiological methods.

The antibiogram for the isolates was performed by a disc diffusion method using eight commonly used antibiotics in the treatment of AOM in Yemen.

Results: The bacteriological study of the isolated microorganisms revealed that gram positive bacteria were the commonest microorganisms (55.32%), where, S aureus was the most frequent one (34.04%).

Gram negative bacteria showed a frequency of43.97%, where, Pseudomonas spp was the most common isolates (13.47 %).

Mixed infections were found in 21% of positive cultures, in which S aureus + H infleunzae were more predominant (6.03%).

The antibiotic sensitivity patterns showed that S aureus and S epidermidis were highly sensitive to both vancomycin (70.8% versus 100%) and ampicillin (56.3% versus 100%).

In contrast, Pseudomonas spp was resistant to most antibiotics, except gentamicin (52.6%).

Conclusion: The present study represents the apparent magnitude of the bacterial causes of acute otitis media among children in Sana 'a - Yemen and gives an idea about the antibiotic sensitivity patterns of isolated microorganisms, in order to improve the treatment of disease.