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Drug susceptibility pattern of bacterial isolates from children with chronic suppurative otitis media
Abstract
Background: In Ethiopia, as most developing countries, there is little information on chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM) in children. Awareness about the seriousness of the condition is limited among the caretakers. Treatment is largely empirical owing to lack of microbiological data.
Objectives: The study was conducted to identify bacterial isolates associated with the chronic suppurative otitis media in children and determine their antibiotic susceptibility pattern.
Methods: Children consecutively seen for chronic otitis media at Department of Pediatrics and Child Health of the Tikur Anbessa Hospital during January - May 2000 were included in the study. Clinical/demographic data were collected using in a pre-formed questionnaire. Ear swabs were collected, transported, and cultured using standards methods. Biochemical tests were used in identifying Gram-negative bacteria. All isolates were tested for their susceptibility to different antibiotics.
Results: A total of 158 bacterial agents were isolated from 120 ear swabs collected from 112 patients aged between 3 months and 12 years. The most frequent isolates were Proteus species (31%), Staphylococcus aureus (18%), Escherichia coli (16%), Klebsiella species (12%), and Pseudomonas species (6%). Most of the isolates were resistant to commonly used antibiotics but sensitive to kanamycin (72%), augmentin (84%) and gentamycin (88%). Triple antibiotics resistance was most common resistance pattern.
Conclusions: The high rate of multiple drug resistance, particularly to cheap and frequently used antibiotics, raises serious concern. More comprehensive studies are required to define the true magnitude of CSOM, to determine the microbiological profile of isolates and produce data for policy decision on optimal intervention modalities.
(Ethiopian Journal of Health Development, 2001, 15(2): 89-96)
Objectives: The study was conducted to identify bacterial isolates associated with the chronic suppurative otitis media in children and determine their antibiotic susceptibility pattern.
Methods: Children consecutively seen for chronic otitis media at Department of Pediatrics and Child Health of the Tikur Anbessa Hospital during January - May 2000 were included in the study. Clinical/demographic data were collected using in a pre-formed questionnaire. Ear swabs were collected, transported, and cultured using standards methods. Biochemical tests were used in identifying Gram-negative bacteria. All isolates were tested for their susceptibility to different antibiotics.
Results: A total of 158 bacterial agents were isolated from 120 ear swabs collected from 112 patients aged between 3 months and 12 years. The most frequent isolates were Proteus species (31%), Staphylococcus aureus (18%), Escherichia coli (16%), Klebsiella species (12%), and Pseudomonas species (6%). Most of the isolates were resistant to commonly used antibiotics but sensitive to kanamycin (72%), augmentin (84%) and gentamycin (88%). Triple antibiotics resistance was most common resistance pattern.
Conclusions: The high rate of multiple drug resistance, particularly to cheap and frequently used antibiotics, raises serious concern. More comprehensive studies are required to define the true magnitude of CSOM, to determine the microbiological profile of isolates and produce data for policy decision on optimal intervention modalities.
(Ethiopian Journal of Health Development, 2001, 15(2): 89-96)
