Nasopharyngeal bacterial flora and secretory otitis in adults

: The AA. have realized a prospective study of the links between the bacterial flora of the nasopharynx and the secretory otitis media in grown-up people. For achieving this purpose nasopharyngeal smears of rhinopharyngeal samples belonging to 85 otitic patients and other 85 healthy adults were cultivated. Statistical analysis showed that the otitis cases presented with 63.6% of microorganisms potentially pathogenic, being the 17.6% the percentage among healthy individuals (p < 0.001). Microorganisms more frequently encountered were: Haemophilus influenzae, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Moraxella catarrhalis and Staphylococcus aureus. After the medical treatment those patients recovered showed an increase of saprophyte flora from early 36.4% till 86% (p < 0.001). It could be appreciate a seasonal influence in the debut of this malady specially in winter.