Study of Microbes that cause Ear infection associated with the use of pacifiers in children under 5 years old

Abstract

The study was carried out in Kirkuk city from May 1* to November  1% 2015. These patients admitted to Kirkuk Children Hospital and primary health care centers of Kirkuk first health care  sector. The number of  children with Ear  infection  was 221 patients whom their ages were under 5 years old. The control group included 50 children who appeared  healthy  and  they  have  never  used  pacifiers  in the  past.  Ear  swabs  were cultured  for all the patients  and control. 70% of ear-cultured  specimens  gave positive results.  Most  isolates  were  Staph.  aureus  with  31%  .  Strep. pyogenes  4%  .  Strep. pneumonia  6% and 9%.  Pseudomonas  aeruginosa were present in ear in about 10% of the isolates. M. catarrhalis  was also found in 3%. Some members of enterobacteriaceae were  also found  such as (E.  coli  in 5%, K. pneumonia   in 3% and  6%, while  P. mirabilis was  found  in 5%).  A member   of (yeast-like   fungi)   Candida   alpicans   was  also  found  in ear in about 11%. As for the use of pacifiers, it shows that 66% of the total patients were using pacifiers or dummies, While 34% of them were not using pacifiers at all. The aim of this study was to explore possibility to limit the use of pacifiers in children to prevent ear infection.
Conclusion  : a possible connection may occur between the pacifiers use and ear infection due to the possible movement of the throat microbes through the auditory canal  to the middle  ear, which  leads to otitis  media  infection.