Does Acute Otitis Media Cause Invasive Bacterial Infection in Afebrile Infants?

In infants ≤90 days of age with afebrile AOM, no blood cultures or lumbar punctures were positive for bacteria.

Current guidelines for investigation and treatment of acute otitis media (AOM) in children do not address children <6 months of age. To assess the risk for invasive disease in young infants with afebrile AOM, investigators in the multinational Pediatric Emergency Research Collaborative assessed the diagnostic evaluation and outcomes of 1637 infants (age, ≤90 days; median, 68 days) who were seen in emergency departments with afebrile AOM and had not received antibiotic therapy within 48 hours. AOM was diagnosed by the presence of ≥1 tympanic membrane abnormality.

Key findings were as follows:

All 278 blood cultures obtained were negative; the majority (53%) of the blood cultures were in patients ≤28 days of age.
No instances of meningitis were …

Reviewing Author

F. Bruder Stapleton, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardCareer Physician

Editorial BoardsUpToDate

Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesAmerican Society of Pediatric Nephrology Foundation (Chair)

F. Bruder Stapleton, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardCareer Physician

Editorial BoardsUpToDate

Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesAmerican Society of Pediatric Nephrology Foundation (Chair)

Does Acute Otitis Media Cause Invasive Bacterial Infection in Afebrile Infants?

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Reviewing Author