ArticleBMC microbiology2018
A microbiome case-control study of recurrent acute otitis media identified potentially protective bacterial genera.
Article in BMC microbiology, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 76 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
76 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 157 citations in OpenAlex.
- Exploring the microbial landscape of the nasopharynx in children: a systematic review of studies using next generation sequencing.Frontiers in microbiomes · 2023Pooled it
- The impact of topical or oral antibiotics in children with acute otitis media on their middle ear, nasopharyngeal, and gut microbiomes.Epidemiology and infection · 2026Trial
- Trial
- Recent advances and clinical relevance of microbiome dynamics in health and disease.Gut microbes · 2026Review
- Clinical Efficacy of Probiotic-Based Ear Drops Containing Lactobacilli in Canine Erythroceruminous Otitis Externa: An Open Label, Multicentre Study.Veterinary dermatology · 2026Article
- Perinatal exposures and upper respiratory tract microbiome composition are associated with age at first acute otitis media episode.bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology · 2026Article
- The middle ear-nasopharyngeal microbiome axis associated with obstructive Eustachian tube dysfunction in chronic otitis media.mSystems · 2026Article
- Molecular Characterization of the Middle Ear Microbiome in Pediatric Otitis Media with Effusion: Diagnostic and Clinical Implications.Journal of clinical medicine · 2026Review
- Review
- Systems perspectives on pediatric otitis media: environmental exposures, genetic susceptibility, and biomarker-guided interventions.Frontiers in pediatrics · 2026Review
- Microbiome and its Association with Diseases of the Ear, Nose and Pharynx.Endocrine, metabolic & immune disorders drug targets · 2026Review
- Breastmilk microbiota and its association with infant iron deficiency anaemia: A 16S rRNA metagenomic study in Peruvian mothers cohort.PloS one · 2026Article
- Article
- Biofilm Formation and Its Relationship with the Microbiome in Pediatric Otitis Media.Microorganisms · 2025Review
- Synergistic inhibition of pneumococcal growth byMicrobiology spectrum · 2025Article
- [Current hypotheses on the development of chronic otitis media with effusion in childhood].HNO · 2025Review
- AirwayInfection and immunity · 2025Article
- The pediatric nasal microbiome and its role in chronic ENT disorders: a narrative review.Frontiers in immunology · 2025Review
- Article
- Characterization of middle ear microbiome in otitis media with effusion in Hungarian children:Heliyon · 2024Article
16 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
11 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundRecurrent acute otitis media (rAOM, recurrent ear infection) is a common childhood disease caused by bacteria termed otopathogens, for which current treatments have limited effectiveness. Generic probiotic therapies have shown promise, but seem to lack specificity. We hypothesised that healthy children with no history of AOM carry protective commensal bacteria that could be translated into a specific probiotic therapy to break the cycle of re-infection. We characterised the nasopharyngeal microbiome of these children (controls) in comparison to children with rAOM (cases) to identify potentially protective bacteria. As some children with rAOM do not appear to carry any of the known otopathogens, we also hypothesised that characterisation of the middle ear microbiome could identify novel otopathogens, which may also guide the development of more effective therapies.
resultsMiddle ear fluids, middle ear rinses and ear canal swabs from the cases and nasopharyngeal swabs from both groups underwent 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The nasopharyngeal microbiomes of cases and controls were distinct. We observed a significantly higher abundance of Corynebacterium and Dolosigranulum in the nasopharynx of controls. Alloiococcus, Staphylococcus and Turicella were abundant in the middle ear and ear canal of cases, but were uncommon in the nasopharynx of both groups. Gemella and Neisseria were characteristic of the case nasopharynx, but were not prevalent in the middle ear.
conclusionsCorynebacterium and Dolosigranulum are characteristic of a healthy nasopharyngeal microbiome. Alloiococcus, Staphylococcus and Turicella are possible novel otopathogens, though their rarity in the nasopharynx and prevalence in the ear canal means that their role as normal aural flora cannot be ruled out. Gemella and Neisseria are unlikely to be novel otopathogens as they do not appear to colonise the middle ear in children with rAOM.
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