In vitro and in vivo antimicrobial activity of topical ofloxacin and otherototopical agents

Background Ototopical agents are extensively used for otitis esterna (OE), acute otitis media identified by otorrhea in patients who have tympanostomy tubes (AOM-TT) and chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM). The quinolones have particular value as ototopical agents because of the broad spectrum o f antibacterial activity of importance in otic diseases and the high concen trations of antibacterial activity at the site of infection Methods. A survey of literature on in vitro activity and microbiologic effi cacy in clinical trials of quinolone otic products for OE, AOM-TT and CSOM Results, OE: Floxin otic and Cortisporin TC otic suspension were equally ef fective in eradicating the three major pathogens Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Pr oteus mirabilis and Staphylococcus aureus, CSOM: Ofloxacin otic was effecti ve in an open label trial in uniform eradication of S, aureus, P, aeruginos a, Proteus mirabilis and Enterobacter spp, AOM-TT: Ofloxacin otic and amoxi cillin/clavulanate (by mouth) were equivalent clinically; rates of eradicat ion of initial. pathogens were similar for Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemop hilus influenzae and Moraxella catarrhalis, but ofloxacin otic was superior in eradication of S, aureus and P, aeruginosa. Conclusions. In each of the studies of OE, CSOM and AOM-TT, ofloxacin otic solution was effective in eradicating the bacterial pathogen from the site of infection: equivalent to Cortisporin for children with OE; superior to a moxicillin/clavulanate for patients with AOM-TT who had acute drainage; and effective in eradicating bacterial pathogens from the external canal of pa tients with CSOM.