Microbiology and Drug Susceptibility Pattern of Bacterial Isolates from Patients with Chronic Suppurative Otitis Media at a Tertiary Care Hospital in Somalia

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to determine the microbiological profile and antibiotic susceptibility pattern of bacterial isolates obtained from patients with chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM) presenting to the otorhinolaryngology clinic of a tertiary care hospital in Mogadishu, Somalia. METHODS: A total of 225 patients diagnosed with chronic suppurative otitis media were included in the study. Samples of middle ear discharge were collected from each patient and cultured using standard microbiological techniques, and bacterial identification was performed. Drug susceptibility pattern was assessed according to the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute criteria. RESULTS: The study sample (n=225) comprised 122 females and 103 males. Among 225 samples tested, bacterial growth was present in 200 (88.9%) and absent in 25 (11.1%) samples. Of 200 samples with bacterial growth, monomicrobial growth was detected in 176 (88%). Gram-positive bacteria were observed in 40 (22.7%) and Gram-negative bacteria in 136 (77.3%) samples. The bacteriology of the samples with monomicrobial growth consisted of (in decreasing frequency) Pseudomonas spp, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Coagulase-negative staphylococci, Proteus mirabilis, and Klebsiella sp. A high rate of resistance was detected against penicillin antibiotics, erythromycin, tetracycline, and co-trimoxazole. Resistance to cephalosporins, clindamycin, vancomycin, linezolid, daptomycin, quinupristin/dalfopristin, levofloxacin, meropenem, and ertapenem was low. CONCLUSION: While the frequencies of isolated bacterial species were consistent with other reports from the region, differences were observed in the antibiotic resistance of bacterial isolates when examined individually for each antibiotic. Further studies are warranted in the same region and different parts of Somalia, coupled with ongoing assessment of antibiotic susceptibility patterns in CSOM.