Characterization and antibiotic-resistant status of pathogenic bacteria from middle ear of children in Udi, south-eastern Nigeria
Keyword : Children, middle ear, bacteria, characterization, antibiotic resistance
Author(s) : Elomba, C. Chidozie., Umedum, C.U., Uboh, Ifiok Nse And Ikpeze, O.O
Abstract : Children’s middle ear diseases, especially chronic otitis media with effusion (OME) which are difficult to treat are still prevalent in developing and emerging countries. This study characterized and tested the antibiotic susceptibility of pathogenic bacteria from middle ear of 105 children (56.2% boys; 43.8% girls) aged between 1 and 13 years in Udi, south-eastern Nigeria. Swabs of both external auditory canals were inoculated in duplicates onto differential culture media. A set was incubated aerobically and other anaerobically at 37ºC for 24 and 48 hours respectively. Bacteria isolates were identified by standard microbiological, biochemical, and PCR methods. Frequency percentages of the 113 bacterial isolates obtained were Staphylococcus species coagulase negative (74; 65.5%), Streptococcus pneumoniae (15; 13.3%), Staphylococcus aureus (10; 8.8%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (9; 8.0%) and Haemophilus influenzae (5; 4.4%). Generally the isolates were higher in age group 6-13 years (68%) than in those 1-5 years old (31%), as well as in boys (60.2%) than girls (39.8%). Staphylococcus aureus and streptococcus pneumoniae isolates were both 65% susceptible to Ceftriaxone while Pseudomonas aeruginosa were 33% and 22% susceptible to Ciprofloxacin and Amikacin, respectively. All the isolates were 100% resistant to Septrin, Sparfloxacin and Ofloxacin, with strong evidence that all bacterial isolates encountered were developing varying levels of resistance to Chloramphenicol, Amikacin, Streptomycin and Tetracycline. Further studies are therefore needed from different parts of Nigeria to confirm the antibiotic resistance status of these pathogenic bacteria from middle ear of children nation-wide.