Asia Pacific Environmental and Occupational Health Journal

Objectives: Otitis media is one of the most prevalent infection causing serious complication and sequelae. The present study was design to isolate bacteria associated with Otitis media and to establish a possible host-environmental-infection factors that might interact to influence the incidence of Otitis media and infecting organism.

Methods: Middle ear swabs and aspirates were aseptically collected from 71 patients who fulfil the study inclusion criteria for bacterial culture and antimicrobial susceptibility testing after administration of consent form and questionnaire.

Results: Bacterial pathogens were isolated from 63(88.7%) of the subjects, while 8(11.3%) of the subjects were bacterio- logically sterile. Staphylococcus aureus was the most abundant isolate identified in 25(36.2%) of the total subject studied. This is followed by Pseudomonas aeruginosa with incidence of 20(28%), Proteus mirabilis, Klebsiella pneumonia and Escherichia coli have similar frequency each with 7(10%), Streptococcus pyogenes was the least isolates with the frequen- cy of 3 (4.3%).

Conclusion: Swimming in ponds and river, traumatic inoculations as well as poor personal and environmental hygiene were identified as the likely predisposing environmental factors which contribute to otitis media in children and adolescent. It was observed that most isolates are enteric bacteria which indicate a concern in personal and environmental hygienic.