Acute otitis media in children is not caused only by bacteria, but by a both bacterial and viral infection

Nov 8, 2006 15:48 GMT  ·  By

According to a recent study published in the Clinical Infectious Diseases Journal, antibiotic use is not enough for treating acute otitis media, as medical experts have discovered that ear infections are not caused by bacteria alone, but also by viruses.

Researchers at the Turku University Hospital found that the middle ear fluid extracted from the ear of a recent otitis media patient contained both bacteria and viruses. More exactly, 96% of the middle ear fluid samples taken from children with ear infection contained at least one respiratory virus, while two thirds of the samples contained both bacteria and viruses.

Lead researcher of the study Aino Ruohola, M.D., Ph.D., and the team of scientists stated: "The clinical impact of coinfections of the middle ear is based on observations that bacterial eradication and clinical outcomes are poorer in coinfections than in solely bacterial infections."

Turku University researchers also explained why in the case of some children severe otitis media cannot be treated with antibiotics alone - as the viruses present in the middle ear fluid of patients make bacteria in the ear more 'powerful' and cause more hard-to-cure inflammations. This is contrary to the belief that viruses are simple 'by-standers' in the middle ear and do not co-operate with bacteria at the onset and, more important, the progress of the condition.

They wrote in their report that "viruses strengthen the bacteria-induced inflammation in the middle ear, which is evident by the higher concentrations of inflammatory mediators in coinfections than in cases of acute otitis media due solely to bacteria. Thus, viruses do not seem to be 'innocent bystanders' in the middle ear."

Tansee Chonmaitree, M.D., of the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston wrote an editorial to accompany the report of the current study, in which the scientists pointed out the fact that if antibiotics fail to cure severe otitis media this should not be blamed on antibiotic-resistant bacteria, as previously thought, but on a cohabitation in the middle year fluid of both bacteria and viruses. Moreover, Dr. Chonmaitree ended the editorial by warning that the case of bacterial plus viral infections may be also met in the case of other respiratory diseases, such as sinusitis or pneumonia.

She wrote: "Results of antibiotic treatment of acute otitis media may not be as expected when the disease is not a pure bacterial infection, and the concept may also apply to other respiratory diseases, such as sinusitis and pneumonia, in both adults and children."