TY - JOUR
T1 - Experimental otitis media following middle ear inoculation of nonviable streptococcus pneumoniae
AU - Lowell, Seth H.
AU - Juhn, Steven S
AU - Giebink, G. Scott
PY - 1980/9
Y1 - 1980/9
N2 - The pathogenesis of otitis media is poorly understood, and the events leading to bacterial invasion of the middle ear cleft and resulting inflammation are a matter of conjecture. While Streptococcus pneumoniae is the most frequent microbe cultured from acute, purulent middle ear effusions, it is infrequently cultured from nonsuppurative serous and mucoid effusion. To explore the possibility that nonviable pneumococci persisting in the middle ear cleft might produce mucosal inflammation, a solution of heat-killed pneumococci was placed in the middle ear cavity of experimental animals. Mucoperiosteal pathology which followed inoculation included an active, early subepithelial inflammatory response, metaplasia of the lining epithelium and later new bone formation. Thus, nonviable pneumococci are capable of producing middle ear inflammation, and it is possible that persistence of whole nonviable organisms or subcellular components in either middle ear effusion or mucoperiosteum may lead to continued middle ear inflammation or nonsuppurative otitis media.
AB - The pathogenesis of otitis media is poorly understood, and the events leading to bacterial invasion of the middle ear cleft and resulting inflammation are a matter of conjecture. While Streptococcus pneumoniae is the most frequent microbe cultured from acute, purulent middle ear effusions, it is infrequently cultured from nonsuppurative serous and mucoid effusion. To explore the possibility that nonviable pneumococci persisting in the middle ear cleft might produce mucosal inflammation, a solution of heat-killed pneumococci was placed in the middle ear cavity of experimental animals. Mucoperiosteal pathology which followed inoculation included an active, early subepithelial inflammatory response, metaplasia of the lining epithelium and later new bone formation. Thus, nonviable pneumococci are capable of producing middle ear inflammation, and it is possible that persistence of whole nonviable organisms or subcellular components in either middle ear effusion or mucoperiosteum may lead to continued middle ear inflammation or nonsuppurative otitis media.
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U2 - 10.1177/000348948008900523
DO - 10.1177/000348948008900523
M3 - Article
C2 - 6776863
AN - SCOPUS:0018962008
SN - 0003-4894
VL - 89
SP - 479
EP - 482
JO - Annals of Otology, Rhinology & Laryngology
JF - Annals of Otology, Rhinology & Laryngology
IS - 5
ER -