BACTERIAL AGENTS CAUSING CHRONIC SUPPURATIVE OTITIS-MEDIA

Ear swabs from 350 patients with chronic otitis media attending differ ent orthorhinolaryngological clinics at different hospitals and health centres in Benin City and Ekpoma in Edo State were screened for the p resence of bacterial agents of chronic otitis media, Results revealed the presence of 19 different species indicating polymicrobial infectio ns, Species isolated comprised staphylococcus aureus (33.6%), Pseudomo nas aeruginosa (19.3%), Probus mirabilis (17%), Alcaligenes faecalis ( 6.2,%) and Klebsiella aerogenes (4.3%), Others included Escherichia co li (3.3%), Proteus rettgeri (2.8%), and Staphylococcus epidermidis (2. 2%), Kleibsiella pneumoniae, Proteus vulgaris, Acinetobacter spp, Prot eus morgani, Haemophilus influenzae, Providencia spp, Streptococcus py ogenes, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Streptococcus faecalis, non-haemolyt ic streptococci and Diphotheroids, each accounted for less than 2% of isolates, The study also showed a higher prevalence of chronic otitis media among males (55.7%) than females (44,3%), Cases of chronic otiti s media were highest among the age groups (0-5 years) with a prevalenc e rate of 50% and least among the 6-10 year age group with a prevalenc e rate of 14.9%, Antibiogram of isolates revealed marked sensitivities (over 90% of the isolates) to ciproxin, tarivid, rocephin and fortum whereas over 70% were resistant to penicillin and ampicillin, Results have indicated that Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Proteus mirabilis are leading bacterial agents of otitis media and hig hlights the high risk involved in the use of penicillin, ampicillin, s treptomycin, tetracycline, chloramphenicol, erythromycin, cloxacillin and septrin in the management of chronic otitis media in our locality.