Otitis Media News and Research

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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.

Cartilage shield restores hearing in some otitis media infection patients

Inserting a “shield” of cartilage into the inner ear is a less invasive and more cost-effective alternative to membrane reconstruction when treating hearing loss in selected patients suffering from chronic middle ear infections (otitis media), according to a new study published in the June 2007 edition of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery .

1 Jun 2007

Low frequency of resistance to Tamiflu confirmed

New data published by the World Health Organisation (WHO) has confirmed a low frequency of resistance to Tamiflu (oseltamivir) over 3 influenza seasons (2003:2006).

10 May 2007

Child infections are an increasing concern in affluent countries

Dr Deborah Lehmann, who leads infectious diseases research at the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research, said the findings show that infection is an increasing concern in affluent countries.

4 May 2007

Nasal spray of virus enzymes for ear infections

Parents might one day give their children a weekly treatment with a nasal spray of virus enzymes to prevent them from getting severe middle ear infections, based on results of a study done in mice by investigators from St. Jude and The Rockefeller University.

27 Apr 2007

Overweight children more likely to need ear tubes

New research from scientists in South Korea suggests that obesity may be a factor in the risk of middle ear infections with fluid in children.

17 Apr 2007

Children with chronic otitis media have biofilms in their middle ears

Direct evidence of bacterial biofilms has been found on the middle ear tissue of children who suffer from chronic ear infections

12 Jul 2006

Fast tracking the healing process for common ear infections

The research will aim to understand why some eardrums heal by themselves (and why some do not heal at all) by identifying which genes are responsible for the wound-healing process of an infected human ear drum.

18 Apr 2006

Situation-specific policies can reduce antibiotic resistance in hospital

The mass use of antibiotics has caused a rise of bacterial resistance to these drugs that is threatening to destroy the power of these life saving drugs.

23 Oct 2005

Use of the antibiotic amoxicillin during infancy appears to be linked to tooth enamel defects in permanent teeth

Dental fluorosis, a result of exposure to excessive fluoride during enamel formation, is one of the most common developmental enamel defects, according to background information in the article.

4 Oct 2005

No intervention is necessary for most children with fluid in their ears

A Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh study finds that prompt insertion of tympanostomy tubes (small ear tubes) does not improve developmental outcomes of children at 6 years of age as once thought.

24 Aug 2005

Children who are prone to frequent ear infections may have a high number of potentially infectious bacteria

...and a relatively low number of protective bacteria in their noses, according to a study in the June issue of Archives of Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

20 Jun 2005

Promising new vaccine candidate to prevent middle ear infections

Hoping to prevent ear infections for the more than 15 million children in the United States who suffer from them, a promising new vaccine candidate to prevent middle ear infections (otitis media) is being developed by researchers at the Columbus Children’s Research Institute (CCRI) on the campus of Columbus Children’s Hospital.

9 Jun 2005

Educating parents and physicians could reduce overuse of antibiotics in children

The most frequent reason pediatricians prescribe antibiotics to young children is for an ear infection (acute otitis media). With increased concerns about high rates of antibiotic use and resistance, recent guidelines suggest consideration of "watchful waiting" for some ear infections to see if they resolve without antibiotics.

6 Jun 2005

Alcohol consumption increases movement of S. pneumoniae toward the lungs

Streptococcus pneumoniae is a bacterium that can infect the upper respiratory tract and cause pneumonia, as well as infections in other parts of the body such as the bloodstream (bacteremia), lining of the brain and spinal cord (meningitis), bones (osteomyelitis), joints (arthritis), ears (otitis media) and sinuses (sinusitis).

15 May 2005

Long term outcomes for children who undergo ear tube placement surgery

Infants and young children who undergo surgery to insert ventilation tubes in their ears as a treatment for ear infections have hearing levels comparable to normal children 14 years later, although children with more serious disease may require repeat procedures or other ear surgery, according to two studies in the April issue of Archives of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery.

19 Apr 2005

Vaccine against pneumonia and invasive pneumococcal disease shows promise

A vaccine against pneumonia and invasive pneumococcal disease, a severe form of bacterial infection, can substantially reduce hospital admissions and improve the survival of children in developing countries, concludes a trial published in this week’s issue of The Lancet.

28 Mar 2005

Underhand methods used to challenge secondhand smoke's link to infant death risk

The link between secondhand smoke and sudden infant death has been discredited in the last few years in scientific articles paid for and influenced by cigarette manufacturers, according to a new study of once-secret industry documents.

7 Mar 2005

Further study is needed before link between gastroesophageal reflux disorder and otitis media can be firmly established

Does gastroesophageal reflux disorder (GERD) lead to middle ear infections in young children? Otitis media (OM) or ear infection, has the highest incidence, 62.9 percent, among all medical conditions in children younger than age five. Recent studies have suggested that GERD may cause OM.

18 Sep 2004

Reading performance is not affected once otitis media has been cured

One year ago, study results were presented addressing the reading performance in children with otitis media in early childhood. The findings revealed that middle ear diseases during early years and the attendant hearing losses adversely affect reading performance in first and second graders.

18 Sep 2004

Mastoidectomy does not decrease the possibility that young patients will develop a middle ear infection

Performing a mastoidectomy, a group of operations on the temporal bone and middle ear to drain, expose, or remove an infectious, inflammatory, or neoplastic lesion, during cochlear implantation for young children does not decrease the possibility that the young patient will develop a middle ear infection.

17 Sep 2004