CULTURE SENSITIVITY PATTERN IN PATIENTS OF CHRONIC SUPPURATIVE OTITIS MEDIA

Abstract

Objective: To determine the pattern of microbial culture and sensitivity in patients of chronic suppurative otitis media
Design: Descriptive study
Setting: Combined Military Hospital Lahore from August 2009 to August 2010.
Materials and Methods: A total of 246 patients of all ages and either gender, with unilateral or bilateral chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM), as determined by otoscopic examination, were enrolled in the ENT outpatient department of Combined Military Hospital Lahore. Patients with atticoantral disease (cholesteatoma), diabetes mellitus and co-existing otitis externa were excluded. Sterile cotton swabs were used to collect pus from discharging ears and specimen transported to lab within 15 minutes. The isolates were identified as per CLSI guidelines.
Results: Microorganisms were isolated from 209 (85%) specimens including 185 bacterial isolates and 24 fungi. Amongst the bacterias, Pseudomonas aeruginosa was grown in 60%, Proteus mirabilis in 27% and Staphlyococcus aureus in 13% cases. Both Pseudomonas and Proteus mirabilis showed 100% sensitivity to tazobactam/ piperacillin alone whereas S. aureus showed 100% sensitivity to cephradine and ciprofloxacin only.
Conclusion: The above mentioned organisms have developed some degree of resistance to antibiotics like ciprofloxacin and gentamicin used commonly for the treatment of chronic suppurative otitis media.