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ACUTE OTITIS MEDIA
Author(s) -
BraneforsHelander P.,
Nylén O.,
Jeppsson P.H.
Publication year - 1973
Publication title -
acta pathologica microbiologica scandinavica section b microbiology and immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.909
H-Index - 88
eISSN - 1600-0463
pISSN - 0365-5563
DOI - 10.1111/j.1699-0463.1973.tb02236.x
Subject(s) - otitis , acute otitis media , medicine , titer , streptococcus pneumoniae , haemophilus influenzae , penicillin , respiratory tract infections , complement fixation test , group a , pediatrics , immunology , gastroenterology , antibody , respiratory system , surgery , antibiotics , serology , microbiology and biotechnology , biology
A complement fixation (CF) test employing a mixture of whole bacteria from twenty non‐capsulated H. influenzae strains as antigen was used for studying antibodies against H. influenzae in a group of patients with acute otitis media and in a group of children without signs of respiratory tract infection (RTI). In the group of 192 children (0–16 years of age) without RTI, CF titres were found in more than half the number of children under one month of age, while such titres were not demonstrated in children aged 1 month—1 year. Only a few children aged 1–2 years showed a CF titre, but in the subsequent age groups, CF titres were found to be present at increasing frequency, up to about 80 per cent. Sera from 141 patients with acute otitis media (96 children and 45 adults) were studied by means of samples generally obtained initially and after 10 days of penicillin therapy. The analyses showed that the initial titres of patients in Group I ( H. influenzae not isolated) were similar to those of patients in Group II ( H. influenzae isolated initially and 10 days later). The same average titres were found in Group I in samples taken after 10 days, while increased titres were registered for more than half the number of patients in Group II. The titres of children and adults with otitis media were similar. Patients whose recovery was delayed or poor showed titre increases less frequently than those who recovered within 10 days. The results of the present study using a CF test employing whole, non‐capsulated bacteria indicate the suitability of this test as a diagnostic aid in respiratory tract infection where non‐capsulated H. influenzae is suspected to be the infecting agent.