The investigation of bacteriology of chronic suppurative otitis media in patients attending a tertiary care hospital with special emphasis on seasonal variation

Abstract

Chronic suppurative otitis media takes a lot of time in the hospital outdoors and a considerable amount of O.T. timings. Chronic suppurative otitis media may be either active chronic otitis media or a sequel of previous otitis media. (a) To understand the bacteriology of Chronic suppurative otitis media (b) Their susceptibility patterns to commonly used antibiotics in this age of emerging resistance (c) the seasonal variation in the bacteriological pattern (d) For better empirical treatment of C.S.O.M where culture facilities are not available so that both intracranial and extra cranial complications can be avoided. The secretions of 160 samples belonging to various age groups and of both sexes of clinically proven chronic suppurative otitis media with definitive exclusion and inclusion criteria were collected and cultured by aerobic and anaerobic methods. Drug sensitivity was done according to standard laboratory protocols. A month wise visit of the patients has been recorded to note any seasonal variations in the isolates. The most common aerobic organism is Pseudomonas Spp and most common anaerobes isolated being Bacteriodes species. Their susceptibility patterns and seasonal variations have been discussed. It is observed that chronic suppurative otitis media affects mainly younger group of population, mostly (86.8%) below 40 years of age. Majority of them (31.9%) belonged to, 10-19 years of age. The most common isolate being Pseudomonas Spp. (64.4%) followed by Staphylococcus aureus (33.8%). In the anaerobic group (1.8%) the Bacteriodes species is most prevalent. The most effective antibiotic in the aerobic isolates is Amikacin followed by Gentamicin and Cefotaxime where as for anaerobic isolates Cefoperazone sodium has better sensitivity. The isolation rates of both aerobic and anaerobic groups of organisms are more in the month of July to September, which is the monsoon season in this place. Isolation of Pseudomonas Spp. in Monsoon and post monsoon season may have been due to filling up of water bodies with rain water and infection with an omnipresent saprophytic organism like Pseudomonas Spp.