TY - JOUR
T1 - Nasopharyngeal biofilm-producing otopathogens in children with nonsevere recurrent acute otitis media
AU - Torretta, Sara
AU - Marchisio, Paola
AU - Drago, Lorenzo
AU - Baggi, Elena
AU - De Vecchi, Elena
AU - Garavello, Werner
AU - Nazzari, Erica
AU - Pignataro, Lorenzo
AU - Esposito, Susanna
PY - 2012/6
Y1 - 2012/6
N2 - Objective. Bacterial biofilms have been detected in biopsies of the adenoid and middle ear mucosa of otitis-prone children and children with chronic middle otitis media. However, the invasiveness of biopsy makes it unsuitable for routine clinical practice, especially in pediatrics. This study aimed to investigate nasopharyngeal biofilm-producing otopathogens (BPOs) of nasopharyngeal swabs (NPS) in children with a history of nonsevere recurrent acute otitis media (RAOM) and healthy controls.Study Design. A cross-sectional study with planned data collection.Setting. University of Milan.Subjects and Methods. Transoral NPS were taken from infants and children aged 10 months to 11 years with nonsevere RAOM or healthy controls without adenoid hypertrophy. Nasopharyngeal colonization by otopathogens was assessed by means of microbiological cultures and standard bacterial identification, as well as nasopharyngeal BPOs by means of spectrophotometric analysis.Results. The study involved 113 children (56.6% males; median age 40 months; range, 10-132 months): 58 with a history of nonsevere RAOM (51.3%) and 55 controls (48.7%). Otopathogens were significantly more frequently detected in the RAOM group (24/58, 41.4%) than in controls (8/55, 14.5%; P =.003); the main pathogens were respectively Haemophilus influenzae (12/24, 50.0%) and Streptococcus pyogenes (3/8, 37.5%). Nasopharyngeal BPOs were more frequently isolated in the RAOM group (17/58, 29.3%) than in controls (6/55, 10.9%; P =.02). H influenzae (12/17, 70.6%) was confirmed as the main pathogen in the RAOM group.Conclusion. The presence of nasopharyngeal BPOs is an important factor favoring RAOM; it is therefore useful investigating biofilms even in children with nonsevere recurrences of AOM without adenoid hypertrophy.
AB - Objective. Bacterial biofilms have been detected in biopsies of the adenoid and middle ear mucosa of otitis-prone children and children with chronic middle otitis media. However, the invasiveness of biopsy makes it unsuitable for routine clinical practice, especially in pediatrics. This study aimed to investigate nasopharyngeal biofilm-producing otopathogens (BPOs) of nasopharyngeal swabs (NPS) in children with a history of nonsevere recurrent acute otitis media (RAOM) and healthy controls.Study Design. A cross-sectional study with planned data collection.Setting. University of Milan.Subjects and Methods. Transoral NPS were taken from infants and children aged 10 months to 11 years with nonsevere RAOM or healthy controls without adenoid hypertrophy. Nasopharyngeal colonization by otopathogens was assessed by means of microbiological cultures and standard bacterial identification, as well as nasopharyngeal BPOs by means of spectrophotometric analysis.Results. The study involved 113 children (56.6% males; median age 40 months; range, 10-132 months): 58 with a history of nonsevere RAOM (51.3%) and 55 controls (48.7%). Otopathogens were significantly more frequently detected in the RAOM group (24/58, 41.4%) than in controls (8/55, 14.5%; P =.003); the main pathogens were respectively Haemophilus influenzae (12/24, 50.0%) and Streptococcus pyogenes (3/8, 37.5%). Nasopharyngeal BPOs were more frequently isolated in the RAOM group (17/58, 29.3%) than in controls (6/55, 10.9%; P =.02). H influenzae (12/17, 70.6%) was confirmed as the main pathogen in the RAOM group.Conclusion. The presence of nasopharyngeal BPOs is an important factor favoring RAOM; it is therefore useful investigating biofilms even in children with nonsevere recurrences of AOM without adenoid hypertrophy.
KW - biofilm
KW - nasopharynx
KW - otopathogens
KW - recurrent acute otitis media
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U2 - 10.1177/0194599812438169
DO - 10.1177/0194599812438169
M3 - Article
C2 - 22357644
AN - SCOPUS:84864761136
VL - 146
SP - 991
EP - 996
JO - Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery
JF - Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery
SN - 0194-5998
IS - 6
ER -