Effect of some antibiotics on aerobic pathogenic bacteria causing otitis media and urinary tract infection in Al- Manathera city in Iraq: A comparative in vitro study
Authors: Abduljabbar Jaloob Ahmed , Abdul-Ameer Gafil Fadaa 
Published: January 2024

Background: Otitis Media (OM) is an inflammation of the middle ear drum and the inner ear, including a duct known as the eustachian tube. Otitis media is very common in children. Over 60 percent of the cases of otitis media are caused by bacteria. Urinary tract infection(UTI) refer to the presence of microbial pathogens within the urinary tract. A urinary tract infection is a condition where one or more structures in the urinary tract becomes infected after bacteria overcome its strong natural defenses. In spite of these defenses, urinary tract infections are the most common of all infections and can occur at any time in the life of an individual. Almost 95% of cases of UTIs are caused by bacteria that typically multiply at the opening of the urethra and travel up to the bladder. Escherichia coli, K. pneumoniae and Proteus mirabilis are the bacteria most commonly cause UTI, followed by other gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria. A number of studies have reported on the prevalence of otitis media and urinary tract infection. However, majority of these studies have focused on clinical diagnosis with little or no report on the bacteriological etiology of otitis media and urinary tract infection so this study aimed to isolate, characterize and identify the bacteriological etiologic agents of otitis media and urinary tract and to select the best antibiotic for the treatment of such infections. Objective: The study aimed to identify the aerobic pathogenic bacteria cause otitis media and urinary tract infection and to compare between pencillins, gentamicin, ciprofloxacin, refampicin, cefotaxim, trimethoprime, and nitrofurantoin effects on this bacteria. Materials and methods: The study was carried out on 130 out patients (65 patients 36 male and 24 female infected with otitis media and 65 patients 24 male and 41 female infected with urinary tract infection). The specimens were collected with sterile swab sticks (for patient infected with O.M) and collected with sterile container (for patient infected with UTI) which were properly labeled for each patient. Specimens were inoculated onto Blood, Chocolate , MacConkey and Manitol salt agar plates. All plates were incubated immediately for 24 hours aerobically with the exception of Chocolate agar that was incubated in a candle jar. Emergent colonies were identified according to standard bacteriological methods Results:From the 130 specimens from out patients (65 ear swab from patients infected with otitis media and 65 urine specimens from patients infected with urinary tract infection) , there were 60 bacterial isolates from patients infected with otitis media (36 male 60% and 24 female 40%) with 5 specimens no growth. Pseudomonas aeruginosa was the most prevalent bacteriological etiologic agent of otitis media (25 isolates 41.666%).While from the 65 urine specimens from patients infected with urinary tract infection , there were 65 bacterial isolates(24 male 36.923% and 41 female 63.077%) K. pneumoniae was the most prevalent etiologic agent of urinary tract infection (27 isolates 41.53%). Conclusions:Nitrofurantoin antibiotic was active against all of the bacterialisolates from patients infected with otitis media and from patients infected with urinary tract infection. While Ampicillin and Pencillin were not active against most of bacterial isolates. Recommendations: Otitis media and UTI characterized by the presence of many drug resistant cases due to different pathogenic bacteria involved in their etiology so further clinical studies are required to select the most appropriate and effective antibiotic in the treatment of such cases.