Ear Infection News and Research

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Good bacteria can help inhibit growth of S. pneumoniae

A new study from the Forsyth Institute is helping to shed more light on the important connections among the diverse bacteria in our microbiome. According to research published in mBio, scientists at Forsyth, led by Dr. Katherine P. Lemon, along with their collaborator at Vanderbilt University, have demonstrated that a harmless bacterium found in the nose and on skin may negatively impact the growth of a pathogen that commonly causes middle ear infections in children and pneumonia in children and older adults.

6 Jan 2016

Measles vaccination plays key role in reducing child mortality

The number of measles-related deaths has decreased 79% from 546 800 at the beginning of the century to 114 900 in 2014. New data released by WHO for the Measles & Rubella Initiative, estimates that 17.1 million lives have been saved since 2000, largely due to increased vaccination coverage against this highly contagious viral disease.

13 Nov 2015

Shared decision making between doctors and patients useful in fight against antibiotic resistance

A new Cochrane Review published today shows that when doctors and patients are encouraged to discuss the need for prescribing antibiotics for acute respiratory infections jointly, fewer are prescribed. This may be useful in the fight against antibiotic resistance.

12 Nov 2015

Dr. Jian-Dong Li receives $1.6 million to develop novel therapeutic targets to treat middle-ear infections

Dr. Jian-Dong Li, a professor and director of the Institute for Biomedical Sciences at Georgia State University and a Georgia Research Alliance Eminent Scholar in Inflammation and Immunity, has received a five-year, $1.6 million federal grant to develop novel anti-inflammatory therapeutics against middle-ear infections.

2 Jul 2015

Existing anti-stroke drug can be effective in treating middle-ear infections

An existing anti-stroke drug is an effective treatment for middle-ear infections, showing the ability to suppress mucus overproduction, improve bacterial clearance and reduce hearing loss, according to researchers at Georgia State University and the University of Rochester.

21 May 2015

Second-generation antibiotic shows promise against common bacterial infections

Researchers led by St. Jude Children's Research Hospital scientists have developed a second-generation antibiotic that shows early effectiveness against common bacterial infections that pose a serious health threat to children and adults.

21 May 2015

Loyola otolaryngologist offers tips to identify, treat ear infection in children

Earaches in babies are not uncommon. But a baby's inability to communicate symptoms can leave most parents feeling helpless. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, three-fourths of babies will get at least one ear infection before the age of one.

8 Apr 2015

Finding could lead to more effective, less invasive treatment for 'bubble boy' disease

For infants with severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID), something as simple as a common cold or ear infection can be fatal. Born with an incomplete immune system, kids who have SCID--also known as "bubble boy" or "bubble baby" disease--can't fight off even the mildest of germs.

12 Mar 2015

Johns Hopkins pediatricians offer guidelines on choosing between urgent care and ER

Parents have a natural tendency to fear the worst when it comes to their children and often opt for a "better safe than sorry" course of action, Canares says, but the truth is many situations don't warrant a trip to the emergency room. At the other end of the spectrum are cases that clearly require emergency attention but end up in urgent care instead — a less common scenario, Canares says.

2 Feb 2015

State highlights: N.C. lawmakers still talking about Medicaid revamp; changes to La. health plan for state workers stir controversy

Legislators who couldn't agree this year on how to overhaul North Carolina's Medicaid program plan to spend more time talking about the issue before the General Assembly reconvenes early next year. A legislative oversight panel subcommittee charged with examining Medicaid reform and reorganization scheduled its first meeting Wednesday. Another oversight panel also examining Medicaid governance held its first meeting this month. The House and Senate approved differing versions of legislation to change how Medicaid pays for medical expenses by shifting risk from the state to either medical provider networks or private managed-care companies (9/24).

26 Sep 2014

Influenza can cause ear and throat infections

Influenza infection can enhance the ability of the bacterium Streptococcus pneumoniae to cause ear and throat infections, according to research published ahead of print in the journal Infection and Immunity.

23 Sep 2014

Acclarent releases ACCLARENT AERA Eustachian Tube Balloon Dilation System for ETD treatment

Acclarent, Inc. announced today the launch of the ACCLARENT AERA Eustachian Tube Balloon Dilation System for the treatment of adult patients with Eustachian Tube Dysfunction (ETD), a condition marked by ear pain, pressure and dulled hearing.

18 Sep 2014

Middle ear infections can be triggered by viral infection in nose, say researchers

Middle ear infections, which affect more than 85 percent of children under the age of 3, can be triggered by a viral infection in the nose rather than solely by a bacterial infection, according to researchers at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center.

6 Sep 2014

Henry Ford launches clinical trial for treatment of tinnitus caused by noise trauma

Henry Ford Health System has launched a clinical trial to investigate a new drug for the treatment of tinnitus, a chronic ringing of the head or ears that affects more than 600 million people worldwide.

25 Jun 2014

Guidance on use of Tamiflu needs to be reviewed in light of most recent evidence

Tamiflu (the antiviral drug oseltamivir) shortens symptoms of influenza by half a day, but there is no good evidence to support claims that it reduces admissions to hospital or complications of influenza.

11 Apr 2014

ER physicians discount early signs of strokes among women, minorities, younger people

Analyzing federal health care data, a team of researchers led by a Johns Hopkins specialist concluded that doctors overlook or discount the early signs of potentially disabling strokes in tens of thousands of American each year, a large number of them visitors to emergency rooms complaining of dizziness or headaches.

4 Apr 2014

Doctors overlook early signs of strokes in people each year

4 Apr 2014

School hearing tests cannot effectively detect adolescent high-frequency hearing loss

School hearing tests cannot effectively detect adolescent high-frequency hearing loss, which is typically caused by loud noise exposure, according to researchers at Penn State College of Medicine.

21 Mar 2014

Study: Severe C. difficile infections occur among children who prescribed antibiotics in doctor's offices

The majority of pediatric Clostridium difficile infections, which are bacterial infections that cause severe diarrhea and are potentially life-threatening, occur among children in the general community who recently took antibiotics prescribed in doctor's offices for other conditions, according to a new study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published this week in Pediatrics.

10 Mar 2014

AOM associated with significant increases in direct costs incurred by consumers, health care system

Acute otitis media, or ear infection, is the most common ailment among kids of preschool age and younger in the U.S., primarily because these children have immature middle-ear drainage systems, higher exposure to respiratory illnesses and undeveloped immune systems.

10 Jan 2014