Abstract

Objective: To determine the microbiological profile and antibiotic sensitivity pattern of adenoid core in children with chronic adenotonsillitis with and without chronic otitis media. Design: Prospective, cross-sectional observational study. Setting : Yenepoya Medical College Hospital, Mangalore, Karnataka, India. Patients : Patients, 4 to 16 years old with chronic adenotonsillitis with or without otits media, unresponsive to medical line of management. Methods : Fifteen patients with chronic adenotonsillitis (Group A) and fifteen patients suffering from chronic adenotonsillitis with chronic otitis media (Group B) were enrolled. Aerobic and anaerobic culture and antibiotic sensitivity of adenoid core specimens and middle ear swabs was done. Results : Staphylococcus aureus was the commonest aerobic microorganism isolated in the adenoid core of both the groups. The same was also isolated in the middle ear swabs of patients who had chronic otitis media. Peptostreptococcus was isolated on anaerobic culture in group A while no growth was obtained in Group B. Cotrimoxazole, Gentamicin and Cephalosporins were the most effective antibiotics. Conclusion : Similar organisms (Staphylococcus aureus) were isolated in adenoid core and middle ear swabs of patients suffering from chronic adenotonsillitis with chronic otitis media. This indicates that administration of appropriate antibiotics would help achieve a dry ear in these patients. Further appropriate antibiotics when administered to children having chronic adenotonsillitis alone would help prevent spread of infection to the middle ear