Microbiological Assessment of Chronic Otitis Media: Aerobic Culture Isolates and Their Antimicrobial Susceptibility Patterns

As there are changing trends in the microbiology of chronic otitis media, this study was carried out to look for the current aerobic microbes and their antimicrobial susceptibilities in patients of chronic otitis media from north Indian region. A total of 322 patients who met the inclusion criteria were studied and aerobic ear swab culture was done under aseptic conditions. Gram staining was performed and antibiotic susceptibility testing was done using Kirby–Bauer disc diffusion method on Mueller–Hinton Agar. A total of 341 culture positive results were obtained from 322 patients. The culture results revealed 10 different aerobic microbes. Gram-positive floras were seen in 152 (44.57%), and Gram-negative in 189(55.43%) isolates. Staphylococcus aureus was the most common isolate present in 131 samples (38.41%), followed by pseudomonas aeruginosa in 101 (29.62%) and proteus in 36 (10.56%). In overall susceptibility of antibiotics against Gram-positive culture isolates, Vancomycin was most effective (97.37%). For Gram-negative microbes, Piperacillin–Tazobactum combination was most effective with overall susceptibility of 79.37% susceptibility. Microbiological assessment of Chronic Otitis Media should be carried out in an area on regular intervals because of the changing patterns of bacteriology and their antimicrobial susceptibilities.