Bacteriological Profile of Chronic Suppurative Otitis Media and Antibiotic Susceptibility in a Tertiary Care Hospital in Shanghai, China.

OBJECTIVE

Chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM) is mostly caused by bacterial infection of the middle ear and antibiotics are generally used empirically, which may lead to the emergence of resistant bacterial strains. The objective of the study is to assess the bacteriological profile of and evaluate the antibiotic susceptibility of strains isolated in a tertiary care hospital in Shanghai, China.

METHODS

This study included 289 individuals with clinical diagnosis of CSOM. Middle ear purulent discharge was obtained with sterile swabs and cultured for bacterial pathogens. The susceptibility of the isolated microorganisms to antibiotics was assessed by a microdilution method.

RESULTS

Bacterial pathogens were found in 223 (77.2%) of the 289 cases. A total of 236 strains were isolated. was the commonest bacteria (44.9%) followed by (16.9%) and coagulase-negative (8.5%). There were 18.9% methicillin-resistant (MRSA) among the obtained organisms. Multidrug-resistant was found in 4 patients, making up 10% of all detected . showed highest susceptibility to vancomycin (100%), then gentamicin (98.1%) and rifampicin (97.2%) and was most resistant to penicillin (61.3%) and erythromycin (50%). All isolated showed susceptibility to piperacillin, piperacillin/tazobactam, and meropenem. High degree of resistance in was observed toward levofloxacin (42.5%), ciprofloxacin (40%), and ceftriaxone (30%).

CONCLUSION

The high prevalence of MRSA and fluoroquinolone-resistant indicated cephalosporins and fluoroquinolone as primary empirical antibiotic drugs in CSOM to be cautiously used. In order to reduce the incidence of resistant strains and promote effective usage of antibiotics, all aural discharges should be cultured to determine antibacterial susceptibility patterns before treatment.