Abstract

Otitis media (OM) is a multifactorial disease characterized by high rate of recurrence in young children and considered to cause hearing impairment in children. This study was undertaken to evaluate the antibacterial sensitivity of Gram-negative bacteria of OM to some antibiotics. A total of Fifty four (54) samples were obtained from patients with suspected cases of otitis media coming into the National Ear Care Centre for the first time. Fifty four (54) patients (29 male, 25 female), with mean ages of 3.86 and 3.29 respectively, tested positive to OM pathogens with a total of 84 bacterial isolates while no culturable pathogen was observed in 4 patients (7.4%). The study reveals highest frequency of Pseudomonas aeruginosa 60 (71.43 %) followed by Proteus mirabilis 14 (16.67), Klebsiella pnuemoniae 6 (7.14) and Escherichia coli 4 (4.76). P. aeruginosa had the highest prevalence among patients < 30 years, whereas K. pnuemoniae and E. coli had the least isolated across all age groups. Antimicrobial susceptibility test showed highest frequency of resistance among all isolates to amoxicillin, cotrimoxazole, nitrofurantoin and nalidixic acid. However, gentamicin, ofloxacin, augmentin and tetracycline were effective against Pseudomonas aeruginosa but ineffective against other isolates. Although antibiotics are the most preferred and prescribed drugs in incidents of OM, it is clear from this study that antimicrobial resistance still remains a persistent among bacterial pathogens of otitis media.

Key words: Otitis media, antibiotic susceptibility, bacteria isolates.