Otitis Media in Children: A Case- Control Study at the Specialist Hospital, Bauchi State, Nigeria.
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Date
2012-02-01
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Biological and Environmental Sciences Journal for the Tropics
Abstract
A survey of Otitis Media (OM) in children attending the Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) section of the Specialist Hospital, Bauchi, was conducted to determine its prevalence and isolates of microorganisms associated with its onset. A total of 400 ear swabs were randomly collected from children aged 0-12 years and subjected to bacteriological and mycological laboratory investigations. Their epidemiological data was also retrieved from case files and analyzed using standard methods. The most prevalent organisms isolated were Staphylococcus aureus, 116 (34.94%); Proteus mirabilis, 82 (24.70%); Escherichia coli, 33 (9.94%); Streptococcus species, 27 (8.13%); Pseudomonas aeruginosa, 19 (5.72%); and Klebsiella species, 12 (3.61%). Others included other species of staphylococci, 7 (2.10%); diphtheroids (normal flora), 5 (1.51%); and Candida albicans, 31 (9.34%), with an overall assessment of 83% prevalence. The age and sex were statistically significant (P < 0.01) by chi-square. This finding reveals that OM is a common childhood problem in the study area. Therefore, increasing awareness of good hygiene in maternal care operations, prophylaxis with antibiotics following known exposure and/or predisposing factors, and avoidance of haphazard use of antibiotics during therapy are hereby recommended.
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Keywords
Prevalence, Otitis Media, Children, Specialist Hospital, Bauchi