EVALUATION OF MICROBIOLOGICAL PATTERN, ANTIMICROBIAL SENSITIVITY AMONG PATIENTS OF CHRONIC OTITIS MEDIA

Objective: The objective of the present study was to determine the causative pathogen and detect their susceptibility to a panel of antibiotics among patients diagnosed with chronic otitis media (COM). Methods: This was a single-center, hospital-based, cross-sectional, observational study involving total of 156 patients diagnosed with COM. Pus swab collected from the patient’s ear was sent for culture and sensitivity. Results: The mean and median age of the patients included in the present study was 19.1 and 20.5 years, respectively. In the present study, 133 (85.3%) participants were diagnosed with mucosal COM, and the remaining 23 (14.7%) participants had a squamosal type of COM. A positive culture/bacterial growth was seen in 139 samples (89.10%). Of the 139 samples that had bacterial growth: 93.5% had a growth of single bacteria and 6.5% of participants showed growth of more than one bacterium. In the present study, Pseudomonas aeruginosa was the single most common bacteria identified on bacterial culture (32.7%), followed by other Pseudomonas species (23.7%) and Staphylococcus aureus (18.58%). Isolated Pseudomonas specimens were most susceptible to Polymyxin B and Colistin. Isolated Staphylococcus specimens were most sensitive to Meropenem and Imipenem. Conclusion: P. aeruginosa was the single most common bacteria identified on bacterial culture among patients diagnosed with COM. About one in ten (10%) isolated pseudomonas and staphylococcus specimens were multi-drug resistant.