VIRUSES IN ACUTE OTITIS MEDIA

Abstract

There is epidemiologic evidence that otitis media is associated with viral respiratory infections but minimal information exists to prove such an etiology. We have tested antigens of respiratory viruses by immunoassay in the middle ear fluid and nasopharyngeal secretions of 137 children with acute otitis media (Sarkkinen et al, submitted). We found that 1) an epidemic of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection caused a significant increase in the occurrence of acute otitis media, 2) 15% of the children had RSV in the middle ear fluid and in 7% RSV was the sole pathogen found. In addition, an adenovirus was found in middle ear fluid of 3% of the children, 3) bacteriological findings in otitis media related and unrelated to virus (RSV) infection were similar. These findings confirm and extend the results obtained earlier in this laboratory and indicate that otitis media is associated with virus infection and that in the early stages of infection the disease may be due solely to virus infection. Thus, at least during respiratory virus epidemic, treatment failures e.g. fever and earache unresponsive to antimicrobial therapy, may be due to a viral etiology of acute otitis media.