Study to Characterize and Identify Bacteria Causing Acute Otitis Media in Young Egyptian Children

Children aged >= 3 months to < 5 years visiting ear, nose and throat specialists for the treatment of acute otitis media.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Age: >= 3 months and < 5 years at the time of enrolment. The subject becomes ineligible on the fifth birthday.
• Signs, symptoms, and conditions:
• One of the functional or general signs of otalgia, conjunctivitis, fever AND EITHER
• Paradise's criteria, OR
• Spontaneous otorrhoea of less than 1 day.
• Onset of signs and symptoms of acute otitis media within 3 days prior to diagnosis of acute otitis media by a physician. To be included as treatment failure, subjects must have then received antibiotic treatment from the physician, but remain symptomatic 2-3 days after initiation of treatment.
• Written informed consent obtained from parent(s) or Legally Acceptable Representative prior to study start.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Hospitalised during the diagnosis of acute otitis media or during treatment,
• Otitis externa, or otitis media with effusion,
• Presence of a transtympanic aerator,
• Systemic antibiotic treatment received for a disease other than acute otitis media in the 3 days prior to enrolment,
• Receiving antimicrobial prophylaxis for recurrent acute otitis media,
• Provision of antibiotic by the ear nose and throat specialist at the enrolment visit, prior to the sampling of the middle ear fluid by tympanocentesis or spontaneous otorrhoea,
• Patients on antibiotics for acute otitis media who are clinically improving.
• Child in care.