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MICROBIOLOGY OF CHRONIC OTITIS MEDIA WITH EFFUSION AMONG AUSTRALIAN ABORIGINAL CHILDREN: ROLE OF CHLAMYDIA TRACHOMATIS
Author(s) -
Dawson VM,
Coelen RJ,
Murphy S,
Graham D,
Dyer H,
Sunderman J
Publication year - 1985
Publication title -
australian journal of experimental biology and medical science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.999
H-Index - 104
eISSN - 1440-1711
pISSN - 0004-945X
DOI - 10.1038/icb.1985.12
Subject(s) - trachoma , chlamydia trachomatis , serotype , otitis , effusion , chlamydia , medicine , lymphogranuloma venereum , antibody , microbiology and biotechnology , immunology , biology , pathology , surgery
Summary Serum, eye secretions, post‐nasal swabs, external ear swabs and middle ear effusions (MEE) were collected from 131 Australian Aboriginal children with chronic otitis media with effusion (COME). The children were all resident in a trachoma endemic region. Chlamydia trachomatis was recovered from the MEE of 2 children. Probable bacterial pathogens were isolated from 34 (12·7%) ears. The remainder were sterile (52·4%) or contained normal skin flora (34·9%). Serum and secretions were examined by the micro‐immunofluorescent technique for the presence, titre and serotype of anti‐chlamydial antibody. Antibody, predominantly of the C serotype, was found in a high percentage of sera (80%) and secretions (approximately 50%). This serotype is associated with ocular trachoma. It is concluded that C. trachomatis is associated with COME among some Aboriginal children in this trachoma endemic area.