Bacteriological profiles of acute suppurative otitis media in children in Brazzaville, Congo

Abstract

Background: Acute suppurative otitis media (ASOM) is one of the main indications for antibiotic prescription in children. The close proximity of the middle ear to the brain and the increasing resistance of microbial organisms involved in otitis media make this pathology of great concern in children. The objective of this study is to determine the bacteriological profile of acute otitis media in Congo as a guide to the choice of antibiotics for empirical therapy.

Methodology: A cross sectional study of children less than 17 years old with acute suppurative otitis media in the otorhinolaryngology service of the Brazzaville University Hospital, Congo, was conducted over a 14 month period. All subjects whose samples were sterile or contaminated (poly-microbial culture) and those who received antibiotic-corticosteroid therapy were excluded. The identification of bacteria to species level was done using conventional biochemical identification tests scheme. Antibiotic sensitivity was performed on isolates using the modified Bauer Kirby disk diffusion test on plain Mueller Hinton (MH) agar and MH agar with 5% horse blood.

Results: Four bacteria families/species were identified; Staphylococcus aureus (32.7%), family Enterobacteriaceae (28.6%), Streptococcus pneumoniae (26.5%) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (12.2%). Ps. aeruginosa was associated with greenish otorrhea while S. aureus, Enterobacteriaceae and S. pneumoniae were associated with yellowish otorrhea (p = 0.001).

Conclusion: The bacterial aetiology of acute suppurative otitis media varies from country to country. In Congo, this study reports four main bacteria families/species involved in acute otitis media with high resistance to β-lactam antibiotics but high sensitivity to macrolides and fluoroquinolones.

Keywords: otitis; child; antibiogram; bacteria; Brazzaville