THE ETIOLOGICAL ROLE OF MYCOPLASMA PNEUMONIAE IN OTITIS MEDIA IN CHILDREN

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Abstract
The paper brings a report on the isolation and identification of Mycoplasma pneumoniae as possible etiological agent of otitis media in three naturally infected children. The disease was a complication of a mild respiratory tract illness. All patients recovered in the course of one week. M. pneumoniae isolation was successful both in enriched liquid and on solid PPLO media from throat swabs of two patients and from the ear swab of one after paracentesis of the eardrum. The strains isolated grew on solid media forming typical colonies and producing hemolysin. Their final identification was accomplished by means of the immunofluorescence as well as by the complement-fixation test. In the paired sera of two of these patients a significant rise of complement-fixing antibody against both the M. pneumoniae standard strain (strain F.H.) and the strains isolated was established. On the other hand there were no antibody rises against influenza viruses, adenoviruses, parainfluenza virus type 1, and RS virus, nor a significant rise of antistreptolysin O.