Clinical profile of acute otitis media among Nigerian children.

A one-year prospective clinical study to assess principal clinical symptoms, signs and bacteriological isolates in Nigerian children with acute otitis media. This is a multicentre study conducted from January-December, 1998 in three University Teaching Hospitals. A strict recruitment protocol was followed. Patient symptoms had to be less than one week before enrollment. Eighty-one children were recruited into the study. The major findings indicative of acute otitis media were ear pain (92.6%), fever (88.9%), redness of the tympanic membrane (89.9%) and loss of light reflex (84%). Rupture of the tympanic membrane occurred in 15 patients (18.5%) Staphylococcus aureus was the most common pathogen (50%) isolated from the ear swabs. A high index of suspicion is necessary to diagnose acute otitis media early in children especially those who may have fever as the main symptom. This will minimise the frequency of tympanic membrane perforations.