Pathogens in the Nasopharynx Before and After Antibiotic Treatment for Acute Otitis Media.

Randomized trialThe Pediatric infectious disease journal· Aug 2026

Pathogens in the Nasopharynx Before and After Antibiotic Treatment for Acute Otitis Media.

Hanna Björn, Nader Shaikh, Miia K Laine … Paula A Tähtinen

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Otology & HearingRandomized trialTreatmentQ1IF 1.7

Haemophilus influenzae persists in the nasopharynx despite antibiotics for acute otitis media

Pathogens in the Nasopharynx Before and After Antibiotic Treatment for Acute Otitis Media.

Hanna Björn … Paula A Tähtinen

The Pediatric infectious disease journal · Aug 2026

Background

Limited data exist on whether the timing or duration of treatment for acute otitis media (acute otitis media) affects nasopharyngeal carriage.

Methods

We included children aged 6-35 months with acute otitis media who had nasopharyngeal samples collected both before and after treatment.

Results

antibiotics failed to clear H influenzae in most children

S. pneumoniae

78%

M. catarrhalis

85%

H. influenzae

20%

More results

The timing of treatment did not affect the eradication rates of nasopharyngeal pathogens.

“

Conclusion

In most cases, H. influenzae carriage in the nasopharynx persisted despite antibiotic treatment with amoxicillin-clavulanate. This should be considered when choosing antibiotic treatment for children with a relapse of acute otitis media.

Pathogens in the Nasopharynx Before and After Antibiotic Treatment for Acute Otitis Media.

Pathogens in the Nasopharynx Before and After Antibiotic Treatment for Acute Otitis Media.

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