Otitis Media News and Research

RSS

Acute otitis media (AOM) is a common childhood disease with important ramifications to the overall health of infants and young children. The peak incidence of AOM occurs at 6 to 18 months of age, but it can also occur in older children. Complications of AOM include persistent middle ear effusion, chronic otitis media, transient hearing loss, or speech delays.

Researchers make great strides in combating pneumococcal pneumonia

The global impact of the coronavirus pandemic has ignited a renewed focus on emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases.

28 Nov 2023

Study highlights variable use and rising costs of antivirals in treating pediatric influenza in the U.S.

The Pediatrics study analyzes trends in antiviral usage among U.S. children and adolescents with influenza, revealing significant variations in dispensing rates and costs, and low usage among children under six years, emphasizing the need for improved treatment strategies.

16 Nov 2023

Study helps identify children at the highest risk of severe RSV infection

A new study helps to identify children who are at the highest risk of a severe respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection and who would thus benefit most from new RSV prevention measures.

26 Oct 2023

Study finds racial and ethnic disparities in ear tube placement for children with ear infections

Asian, Hispanic and Black children are much less likely to see ear, nose and throat (ENT) doctors, or otolaryngologists, and receive ear tubes for recurring ear infections, according to research presented at the ANESTHESIOLOGY 2023 annual meeting.

16 Oct 2023

The number of deaths attributable to second hand smoke exposure has increased between 1990 and 2019

Researchers estimated the prevalence of and assessed trends in exposure to second-hand smoke (SHS)

2 Aug 2023

How the COVID-19 pandemic altered antibiotic prescribing for common bacterial infections

Investigators evaluated the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic on the use of antibiotics in primary care for common infections.

20 Jul 2023

ChatGPT: A diagnostic sidekick for doctors? Caution advised for non-professionals

Research evaluates the diagnostic accuracy of ChatGPT, an AI language model, in providing medical advice online. It concludes that ChatGPT can be a useful tool for assisting human doctors in diagnosing difficult cases, but non-professionals should use it with caution.

27 Apr 2023

Pneumolysin toxin holds promise for developing therapies against Streptococcus pneumoniae

In a recent study published in the journal PLoS ONE, researchers in Spain performed a systematic review of pneumolysin (PLY) toxin as a molecular target to develop novel therapeutics against Streptococcus pneumoniae.

27 Mar 2023

Research examines antibiotic use during COVID-19 by age

In a research letter published in JAMA Health Forum, researchers evaluated antibiotic prescriptions during severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection-associated health visits in outpatient settings by United States (US) residents aged ≤64 years who have commercial health insurance.

20 Feb 2023

Children's tonsils are major sites of prolonged SARS-CoV-2 infection

A recent study evaluates the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in children’s tonsils during the COVID-19 pandemic.

29 Jan 2023

The prevalence of pneumococcal carriage in Serbia during COVID

Scientists explore the prevalence of Streptococcus pneumoniae carriage during the COVID-19 pandemic in older adults.

17 Oct 2022

How did the number of children presenting to EDs across Europe during the first phase of the COVID-19 pandemic compare with the 2 previous years?

The current study examined how pandemic-related lockdowns impacted ED visits among children in 16 European countries.

31 Aug 2022

Gut-lung axis: Using commensal bacteria to reinforce mucosal immunity

A recent study discusses the use of commensal bacteria in the gut and/or respiratory tract to deliver viral antigens to the host, thus acting as vaccines

19 Jul 2022

Future SARS-CoV-2 vaccines could hijack commensal bacteria in the gut–lung axis to confer immunity

Researchers screened bacterial mucosal vaccine vectors from 2015 to the present to identify a promising candidate to present SARS-CoV-2 spike protein or its fragments.

18 Jul 2022

AAP recommends breastfeeding for 2 years

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that mothers to continue breastfeeding for two years or beyond.

30 Jun 2022

Acute illness increases cortisol levels in children and adolescents

A new study reports that in children and adolescents without glucocorticoid deficiency, circulating cortisol levels were higher during acute illnesses.

28 Jun 2022

Study examines pediatric emergency department attendance trends during the first COVID-19 wave in Europe

Researchers investigated the impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection and the adoption of preventive measures in pediatric emergency department attendances in Europe.

30 Mar 2022

Antimicrobial prescribing among infants may be prevented using maternal RSV vaccines

RSV is a leading cause of severe acute lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) among infants globally, and a prominent contributor to common non-severe infections that account for high volumes of antibiotic consumption.

14 Mar 2022

A special surgical microscope to illuminate blood, bacterial biofilms, cartilage, and soft tissue

Inflammation of the middle ear is often triggered a cholesteatoma, an aggressive form of chronic otitis media. In order to detect cholesteatomas and bacterial biofilms and to remove them safely, the new collaborative project 'BetterView' is working on a special surgical microscope.

4 Mar 2022

SARS-CoV-2 occurrence compared with other respiratory viruses in children with acute respiratory infections

The current study examined the incidence of COVID-19 in children with ARI relative to other respiratory viruses during the second and third waves.

22 Feb 2022