Biomaterial Database

Colonization of middle ear pathogens in the nasopharyngeal opening of the Eustachian tube during secretory otitis media. 1989

L E Stenfors, and S Räisänen

Department of Otolaryngology, Central Hospital of Keski-Pohjanmaa, Kokkola, Finland.

Colonization of middle ear pathogens (S. pneumoniae, H. influenzae and B. catarrhalis) in the nasopharyngeal opening of the Eustachian tube (NO) was charted in 94 patients (170 ears) suffering from secretory otitis media (SOM). Subsequent determination of microorganisms in the middle ear effusion was performed. 76% of the patients had colonization of pathogens in the NO, while pathogens colonized the middle ear cavity (MEC) in 30% of the cases. Predominant pathogen was S. pneumoniae, followed by B. catarrhalis and H. influenzae. When colonizing the MEC, there was a 100% correlation to NO regarding B. catarrhalis, 81% correlation for S. pneumoniae and 57% for H. influenzae. S. aureus and/or coagulase-negative staphylococci were only occasionally found in the NO. Accumulation of a sticky glue effusion material in the middle ear cavity may serve as a barrier against ascending pathogens from the nasopharynx.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007223	Infant	A child between 1 and 23 months of age.	Infants
D008297	Male		Males
D009305	Nasopharynx	The top portion of the pharynx situated posterior to the nose and superior to the SOFT PALATE. The nasopharynx is the posterior extension of the nasal cavities and has a respiratory function.	Rhinopharynx,Choanae,Nasopharynges,Nasopharynxes,Rhinopharynges,Rhinopharynxes
D010034	Otitis Media with Effusion	Inflammation of the middle ear with a clear pale yellow-colored transudate.	Middle Ear Effusion,Otitis Media, Secretory,Otitis Media, Serous,Ear Effusion, Middle,Ear Effusions, Middle,Effusion, Middle Ear,Effusions, Middle Ear,Middle Ear Effusions,Secretory Otitis Media,Serous Otitis Media
D002648	Child	A person 6 to 12 years of age. An individual 2 to 5 years old is CHILD, PRESCHOOL.	Children
D002675	Child, Preschool	A child between the ages of 2 and 5.	Children, Preschool,Preschool Child,Preschool Children
D005064	Eustachian Tube	A narrow passageway that connects the upper part of the throat to the TYMPANIC CAVITY.	Auditory Tube,Pharyngotympanic Tube,Auditory Tubes,Eustachian Tubes,Pharyngotympanic Tubes,Tube, Auditory,Tube, Eustachian,Tube, Pharyngotympanic,Tubes, Auditory,Tubes, Eustachian,Tubes, Pharyngotympanic
D005260	Female		Females
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D001419	Bacteria	One of the three domains of life (the others being Eukarya and ARCHAEA), also called Eubacteria. They are unicellular prokaryotic microorganisms which generally possess rigid cell walls, multiply by cell division, and exhibit three principal forms: round or coccal, rodlike or bacillary, and spiral or spirochetal. Bacteria can be classified by their response to OXYGEN: aerobic, anaerobic, or facultatively anaerobic; by the mode by which they obtain their energy: chemotrophy (via chemical reaction) or PHOTOTROPHY (via light reaction); for chemotrophs by their source of chemical energy: CHEMOLITHOTROPHY (from inorganic compounds) or chemoorganotrophy (from organic compounds); and by their source for CARBON; NITROGEN; etc.; HETEROTROPHY (from organic sources) or AUTOTROPHY (from CARBON DIOXIDE). They can also be classified by whether or not they stain (based on the structure of their CELL WALLS) with CRYSTAL VIOLET dye: gram-negative or gram-positive.	Eubacteria