[Middle ear inflammation and fluid accumulation in the middle ear in Icelandic children].

The bacterial flora was examined in 108 Icelandic children treated for middle ear inflammations during the period, 1986-1989. Among children with acute otitis media, growth of H. influenzae was obtained in pure cultures in 54 per cent of cases. Where inflammation had caused tympanic membrane rupture, both H. influenzae and S. pneumoniae were cultured in 58 per cent of the samples. In the group with persistent seromucous secretion in the middle ear, 60.5 per cent of the samples were abacterial. S. aureus was the species most commonly isolated in samples from children with chronic discharge. The results suggest H. influenzae to be more common in acute otitis media in Iceland than elsewhere.