Isolation and Antimicrobial Susceptibility of Bacteria from Chronic Suppurative Otitis Media Patients in Kerman, Iran

BACKGROUND: Chronic supportive otitis media (CSOM) is one of the commonest illnesses in ENT practice. This study was conducted to find out the various aerobic microorganisms associated with CSOM and their current antimicrobial susceptibility patterns to commonly used antimicrobials. METHODS: samples were collected from 117 clinically diagnosed cases of CSOM and processed according to standard protocols. RESULTS: Out of 117 CSOM cases, 105 (86%) showed positive bacterial culture. The Staphylococcus aureus was the commonest aerobic isolate in CSOM. The sensitivity of Staphylococci spp. to commonly used antimicrobials varied from 27.2% for cefixime to 95.5% for gentamicin and coagulase positive. Pseudomonas isolates showed complete (100%) resistance to amoxicillin/clavulanate (co-amoxiclave), cloxacillin and cefixime, and high sensitivity to ciprofloxacin (95%) and cephalexin (90%). CONCLUSION: An appropriate knowledge of antibacterial susceptibility of microorganisms would contribute to a rational antibiotic use and the success of treatment for chronic supportive otitis media.