Open AccessExperimental otitis media after nasal inoculation of Streptococcus pneumoniae and influenza A virus in chinchillas
Author(s) -
G. Scott Giebink,
Ilze K. Berzins,
Stephen C. Marker,
Gerald Schiffman
Publication year - 1980
Publication title -
infection and immunity
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.508
H-Index - 220
eISSN - 1070-6313
pISSN - 0019-9567
DOI - 10.1128/iai.30.2.445-450.1980
Subject(s) - otitis , streptococcus pneumoniae , effusion , chinchilla , biology , middle ear , microbiology and biotechnology , virus , influenza a virus , orthomyxoviridae , immunology , virology , medicine , ecology , genetics , surgery , anatomy , antibiotics
Otitis media developed in 67% of chinchillas inoculated intranasally with type 7 Streptococcus pneumoniae and influenza A virus. Only 4% of chinchillas inoculated with influenza alone and 21% of chinchillas inoculated with S. pneumoniae alone developed otitis media. Among the chinchillas that developed otitis media after inoculation with both pneumococcus and influenza, 73% of the affected ears contained effusion, and 27% of the affected ears showed tympanic membrane inflammation without middle ear effusion obtained on paracentesis. Although a majority of the ears with effusion yielded S. pneumoniae on culture, one-third of the effusions were sterile for aerobic bacteria. This model resembles conditions accompanying otitis media in humans and suggests that respiratory viral infection contributes significantly to the pathogenesis of acute otitis media.