PREVALENCEAND CONTROL OF OTITIS MEDIA AMONG PATIENTSATTENDING TWO GOVERNMENT HOSPITALS IN ONDO STATE,NIGERIA

Abstract

A total of 307 samples (158 males and 149 females) was collected from patients with signs and symptoms of otitis media at the Federal Medical Centre, Owo and Ondo States Specialist Hospital, Akure between January and July, 2015. All the samples were examined microbiologically using conventional techniques. The isolated bacteria were subjected to antibiotic susceptibility testing using disc diffusion method. In addition, antifungal assay was conducted on the test fungi using agar well diffusion techniques. Modified indometry method was used in the detection of beta-lactamase among the isolates that showed multiple antibiotic resistance. The genetic basis of resistance was achieved by plasmid profiling and plasmid curing techniques. Fresh leaves of Emilia praetermissa (‘Odundun’) and Solanum nigrum (Black nightshade) were harvested from Federal University of Technology, Akure Campus and the antimicrobial activity of methanol, cold water and hot water extracts from these plants against the isolated organisms was determined using agar well diffusion method. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was determined using the tube dilution technique. All the experiments were carried out in triplicates and data obtained from the study were subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA). From the result, highest average bacterial count for patients attending Federal Medical Centre Owo was within age group of 1-10yrs with 2.7103 for male and 2.3103 in female. Also, the highest average bacterial count for patients attending Ondo States Specialist Hospital Akure was noted among age group 1yr with 3.4103 for males and 2.8103 for females. The highest prevalence rate was recorded among age group 1yr with 88 (98.8%) followed by age group 1-10 yrs with 80 (96.3%) while the least prevalence was recorded among aldults within the age group ˂43 yrs. The leaf extracts was able to inhibit all the isolated organisms at the concentration of 50mg/ml. The methanol extract had the highest effect on the test organisms. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of extracts ranged from 12.5 to 3.125mg/ml. However, minimum bactericidal concentrations and minimum fungicidal concentration were recorded at conc. 100mg/ml. The overall result obtained from this study revealed that the prevalence rate of otitis media was high among children within age group 1yr and 1-0 yrs than in adults. Findings from the study indicated that resistance shown by some bacterial isolates was mainly plasmid-mediated. However, resistance shown by some of the bacterial isolates was chromosomal-mediated. The antimicrobial potential of Emilia praetermissa and Solanum nigrum may be a source of new bioactive compounds for drug development, and also establish the use of the plant in traditional phytomedicine for the treatment of otitis media infection.