Nasal Allergy Linked to Chronic Ear Drainage Dec 7, 2007
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - The findings of a new study suggest that nasal allergies can cause chronic secretory otitis media, a condition involving persistent drainage of fluid from the ear that usually results from ear infections. Dr. Zdenek Pelikan, with the Allergy Research Foundation in Breda, the Netherlands, and associates investigated the possible role of nasal allergy in secretory otitis media in adults and determined if allergy testing in combination with ear examination can help... (MEDLINEplus)
Tamiflu effective for treatment and prevention of influenza in children 1 year and older Nov 16, 2007
In addition there was a 55% reduction in severe ear infections (otitis media) in the Tamiflu group compared to placebo if treatment was started within 24 hours2. Tamiflu given as prevention reduced the incidence of secondary influenza infections3 by 55. (EurekAlert!)
Fears About Complications Shouldn't Drive Antibiotic Prescribing, Study Finds Oct 30, 2007
27, 2007) General practitioners are still prescribing antibiotics for up to 80 percent of cases of sore throat, otitis media, upper respiratory tract infections, and sinusitis, despite the fact that official. (Sep. (Science Daily)
MedImmune to present RSV surveillance and cost-effectiveness data at American Academy of Pediatrics Oct 27, 2007
In clinical trials, the most common adverse events occurring at least 1 percent more frequently in Synagis-treated patients than controls were upper respiratory infection, otitis media, fever and rhinitis. Cyanosis and arrhythmia were seen in children with CHD.. (EurekAlert!)
Ear infection superbug discovered to be resistant to all pediatric antibiotics Oct 17, 2007
Acute otitis media is a bacterial ear infection that causes pain, fluid buildup and hearing loss in the worst cases. Until 2000, one species of bacteria, S. pneumoniae, also called pneumoccous, was the leading cause of otitis media, as well as of pneumonia and meningitis ... Among 1815 children, aged 6 to 36 months, in whom otitis media was diagnosed, tympanocentesis was performed in 212, yielding 59 cases of S pneumoniae infection and 9 cases infected with a serotype 19A strain resistant to all... (EurekAlert!)
A computer for your mouse! Oct 13, 2007
Research on genetic mutations in laboratory mice has led to new models for diseases such as Type 2 diabetes, currently a growing epidemic in the developed world, rheumatoid arthritis and otitis media, an acutely painful condition which affects thousands of children and which can lead to permanent deafness. The success of research programmes in the field, particularly following advances in genome sequencing and other high-throughput technologies means that the volume of data available has become... (EurekAlert! -- Business News)
Babies Swimming In Public Pools Linked To Infections, Study Shows Oct 9, 2007
Diarrhea and otitis media during the first year of life are especially noteworthy. No increased risks were found for atopic diseases during the first six years. (Science Daily)
Find right strategy to end ear infections Oct 9, 2007
The American Academy of Pediatrics reports middle ear infections clear up without antibiotics in about eight of 10 children with acute otitis media. When nothing else seems to work, ear tubes can be implanted to stop recurrent ear infections. (The Clarion-Ledger)
»World Breastfeeding Week begins today Aug 1, 2007
A greater susceptibility to infections (such as diarrhea, respiratory tract infections, otitis media, pneumonia, urinary infection, necrotizing entercolitis and invasive bacterial infection). Depressed immune system response. (Rockingham Daily Journal, NC)
Antibiotic Resistance: Doctors' Antibiotic Prescribing Practices Still Contributing To Problem Jul 28, 2007
General practitioners are still prescribing antibiotics for up to 80% of cases of sore throat, otitis media, upper respiratory tract infections, and sinusitis, despite the fact that official guidance warns against this practice, according to an analysis of the world's largest primary care database of consultations and prescriptions, published in a supplement to the Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy ... The ten most common causes of antibacterial prescribing identified in the study were:... (Science Daily)
What you should know about pertussis: Part II Jul 25, 2007
Other potential complications include seizures, encephalopathy, pneumothorax and otitis media. Patients may need hospitalization due to complications. (Auburn Citizen, NY)
Essential services must follow the troops Jul 2, 2007
Camped in their tents, the new medics will discover diseases and conditions of poverty they rarely see in the cities, including anaemia, scabies, otitis media, lungs full of life-threatening puss, acute rheumatic heart fever, all illnesses identified by other medical assessors over the past decades. If a doctor finds a child has been sexually abused or neglected, what happens next. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Opinion)
Earlier Initiation of Tamiflu(R) Treatment Improves Clinical Benefits for Children With Influenza Jun 23, 2007
2 percent less likely to develop otitis media (ear infection). While the beneficial effects of Tamiflu treatment over placebo were observed in all analyses, the impact on time to return to normal health (34. (PR Newswire)
OFFICIAL CORRECTION Aurobindo still awaiting cefpodoxime proxetil FDA approval Jun 6, 2007
Cefpodoxime is an oral, third generation cephalosporin antibiotic, mostly used to treat acute otitis media, community acquired pneumonia, uncomplicated urinary tract infections and also skin infections. ami. (Forbes -- Markets)
Autoimmune Neutropenia Jun 6, 2007
Decreased White Blood Cell Counts in Children. These antibodies destroy granulocytic neutrophils. (Suite101.com)
Purification and preliminary crystallization of alanine racemase from Streptococcus pneumoniae May 18, 2007
Clinical isolates from patients with community-acquired pneumonia or otitis media often display resistance to two or more antibiotics. Given the need for new therapeutics, we intend to investigate enzymes of cell wall biosynthesis as novel drug targets. (BioMed Central)
Infections leading cause of kids' hospitalisations: study May 3, 2007
"The most common causes of hospital admissions were respiratory infections such as bronchiolitis, pneumonia and otitis media (ear infections) followed by gastroenteritis," she said. Infections are not often highlighted as a priority health issue but these findings show very clearly the need for all children to have access to good quality health care before these infections become so serious that they require hospitalisation. (IBN News)
Childhood Obesity Appears Linked to Middle Ear Effusion Apr 19, 2007
SEUOL, Korea, April 17 -- The average body mass index in a group of children with otitis media with effusion was about 35% higher than among children with no history of ear infection, found researchers here ... Mean cholesterol levels were also significantly higher in the children with otitis media than among unaffected children, Seung Geun Yeo, M.D., Ph ... Although otitis media with effusion, but without earache or fever, has become frequent in children as has obesity, the association between... (MedPage Today)
Obesity May Be Linked To Middle Ear Effusions In Children Apr 18, 2007
Childhood obesity may be associated with a condition known as otitis media with effusion, which consists of fluid build-up in the middle ear space without symptoms of acute ear infection, according to a report in the April issue of Archives of Otolaryngology--Head & Neck Surgery, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. Otitis media with effusion, a condition in which fluid is retained in the middle ear space, but without earache, fever or other symptoms, has become increasingly frequent in children,... (Science Daily)
Can Too Much Weight Cause Ear Infections in Kids? Apr 17, 2007
Technically, the children suffered from a form of ear infection known as otitis media with effusion ... "That means that their eustachian tubes that drain their ears are narrowed, and that can lead to otitis media with effusion. Even worse, as the diameter of their nose and airway is reduced, these people can develop snoring and sleep apnea.". (Forbes)
Childhood obesity linked to middle-ear problem Apr 17, 2007
In otitis media with effusion (OME), the middle ear is inflamed as fluid builds up ... "In comparing children with and without otitis media with effusion, we found that childhood obesity was significantly higher in children with otitis media with effusion," the authors concluded in April issue of the Archives of Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery ... "Childhood obesity may be associated with the occurrence of otitis media with effusion.". (CBC News)
Strep Vaccine for Kids Cuts Pneumonia Even Among Adults Apr 7, 2007
The report comes just days after researchers reported on another aspect of the vaccine -- its effect on otitis media. In that study, they found that the main beneficiaries of the vaccine were those prone to repeated ear infections. (MedPage Today)
Vaccine Significantly Reduces Childhood Pneumonia Cases Apr 7, 2007
However, it also protects from other common infections, such as pneumonia and ear infections (otitis media). The team studied hospital admissions for pneumonia nationwide during two periods - 1997 to 1999 - and - 2001 to 2004. (Medical News Today)
Vaccine Cuts U.S. Child Pneumonia Rate By 39% Apr 6, 2007
"It was believed that the primary focus of the vaccine was on diseases such as meningitis and bacteremia, but this vaccine also has the ability to protect against more common infections like pneumonia and otitis media (ear infections)," he said. In the study, Grijalva's team used the Nationwide Inpatient Sample -- the largest inpatient database available in the United States -- to collect statistics on hospital admissions for pneumonia among children under 2 years of age. (Health-Finder)
Vaccine Helps Prevent Ear Infections Apr 4, 2007
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the vaccine combats the seven most common strains of pneumococcal bacteria behind otitis media (middle ear infection) ... Study co-author J. Pekka Nuorti, a medical epidemiologist at the CDC's National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, estimates that the PCV7 vaccine prevents two million cases of otitis media in children under two years of age in the U.S. annually ... "Parents shouldn't think that just because... (Scientific American)
Can vaccine help Utah's kids? Apr 3, 2007
"I would just temper it with the fact that you may still see otitis media [ear infections] because we have different serotypes in our community," she said. Lisieski is still deciding whether to opt for ear tube surgery for her son. (Salt Lake Tribune)
Bacteria-killing viruses fight ear infections too Mar 26, 2007
It was like magic," said Dr. Jonathan McCullers of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. Years of testing must be done to make sure the treatment is safe, but it was 100 percent effective in mice, McCullers and colleagues report in Friday's issue of the Public Library of Science journal PLoS Pathogens. As many as 80 percent of children in the United States have at least one ear infection in early childhood -- a condition known as acute otitis media. It causes pain and... (Reuters)
Viral Enzyme Clears Ear Infection In Mice Mar 24, 2007
March 23 -- Clinicians may one day give children a weekly nasal spray of viral enzyme to prevent acute otitis media, researchers said here ... Explain to interested patients that acute otitis media is a major cause of disease among young children, and much of it is caused by a single species of bacteria, Streptococcus pneumoniae ... Explain that in this study an enzyme derived from a virus that preys on bacteria was used to destroy S. pneumoniae in mice, which prevented the development of otitis... (MedPage Today)
Viral enzyme recruited in fight against ear infection Mar 23, 2007
St. Jude study success in using virus enzyme to treat mouse model of acute otitis media suggests that nasal spray could prevent both ear infection and pneumonia in people with influenza ... Middle ear infection, also called acute otitis media, is an inflammation of the middle ear space that can cause pain, fever, irritability, lack of appetite and vomiting ... About half of all children carry the bacteria that cause acute otitis media, which migrate from the nose and throat to the middle ear... (EurekAlert!)
FDA Extends Marketing Exclusivity for LEVAQUIN(R) Mar 15, 2007
This decision was based on five, company-sponsored pediatric studies conducted at the request of the FDA. The studies included trials to determine the pharmacokinetic profile and the efficacy and safety of LEVAQUIN in children with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) and recurrent and/or persistent acute otitis media. The studies were conducted in close collaboration with leaders in the pediatric and infectious disease communities and in consultation with the FDA. LEVAQUIN is not indicated for... (PR Newswire)
New Report Says Secondhand Smoke Costs Minnesota $215.7 Million Annually Mar 2, 2007
Diseases caused by secondhand smoke in infants and children include low birth weight, acute lower respiratory illness, otitis media, middle ear effusion, and asthma. The study calculated the proportion of each disease caused by secondhand smoke and found that at least 66,000 Minnesotans are treated for diseases caused by secondhand smoke each year. (PR Newswire)
Recurrent Middle Ear Infections Can Have A Major Impact On Children's Development Feb 7, 2007
Study author, Dr Heather Winskel, from the University's School of Psychology, says middle ear infection or otitis media (OM) is the most common childhood illness. "At least 70% of children are likely to experience at least one episode of otitis media before they are three-years-old and for many children it is a recurrent problem," says Dr Winskel ... (October 11, 2002) -- More children are treated in the U.S. with antibiotics for inflammation of the middle ear, or otitis media, than any other... (Science Daily)
More of this story Feb 3, 2007
Public health officials have concluded that secondhand smoke from cigarettes causes disease, including lung cancer and heart disease, in non-smoking adults, as well as causes conditions in children such as asthma, respiratory infections, cough, wheeze, otitis media (middle ear infection) and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. In addition, public health officials have concluded that secondhand smoke can exacerbate adult asthma and cause eye, throat and nasal irritation. (LaGrange Oldham Era, KY)
Glue ear damages vocab, reading skills Jan 31, 2007
Also called otitis media, the problem is sparked by a build-up of fluid in the eustachian tubes. About 70 per cent of kids experience at least one infection before they are three years old, and for many it is recurrent. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Australia)
CHILD HAVEN CASE: Coroner's findings released Jan 27, 2007
Otitis media, or ear infection. Influenza. (Las Vegas Review-Journal -- Nevada News)
Fluid In The Ear Does Not Impair Development In Children, Study Finds Jan 23, 2007
Early insertion of ear tubes in otherwise healthy infants and young children with persistent fluid in the middle ear does not improve developmental outcomes up to 9 to 11 years of age, according to results of an important study at Children s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC led by otitis media researcher Jack Paradise, MD. ... Among children in the United States, otitis media is the most commonly diagnosed illness after the common cold ... About 90 percent of children have at least one episode of... (Science Daily)
'Magic Bullet' Antibiotics Missing Target Jan 10, 2007
Ear infections, or otitis media, are one of the most common childhood maladies. According to Kidshealth. (Click2Houston, TX)
UTMB researchers link breast-feeding to fewer ear infections Dec 10, 2006
About 19 percent of children are prone to chronic and recurrent ear infections (known to physicians as "otitis media"). These infections can interfere with language development and lead to learning difficulties. (Houston Business Journal, TX)
Breast-feeding overcomes a genetic tendency toward ear infections, scientists discover Dec 9, 2006
About 19 percent of children are prone to chronic and recurrent ear infections (known to physicians as "otitis media") ... The UTMB study, published in the December issue of the journal Pediatrics, examined genetic samples taken from 505 children in Texas and Kentucky, about 60 percent of whom were classified as "otitis media susceptible" because they had suffered an ear infection before the age of 6 months; had undergone three or more episodes of acute otitis media within a six-month period;... (EurekAlert!)
Update on Tamiflu: no increase in drug resistance observed Nov 28, 2006
Influenza complications occur in all patient groups and include bronchitis, sinusitis, otitis media, and pneumonia. About Tamiflu Tamiflu is designed to be active against all clinically relevant influenza A and B viruses and works by blocking the action of the neuraminidase (NAI) enzyme on the surface of the virus. (Canada Newswire)
Lab-on-a-chip Could Speed Up Treatment Of Drug-resistant Pneumonia Nov 25, 2006
(October 4, 1997) -- A national study has shown that by the year 2000, half of the infections caused by the bacterium responsible for 7 million cases of otitis media in children and 500,000 cases of pneumonia in children. . (Science Daily)
OctoPlus Grants Green Cross Corporation Exclusive Korean License to OP-145 for Chronic Middle ear Infection Nov 22, 2006
LEIDEN, Netherlands, November 22 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- OctoPlus N.V. (Euronext: OCTO), the recently listed drug delivery and development company, announces today that it has granted Green Cross Corporation (Korea: KOSPI200), a leading pharmaceutical company in the Republic of Korea, an exclusive license to develop and market OP-145 for chronic middle ear infection (chronic otitis media) for the Korean market ... OP-145 offers potential benefits to patients with chronic otitis media that do... (PR Newswire)
Study shows most ear infections host both bacteria and viruses Nov 7, 2006
The researchers used a variety of laboratory techniques to identify the pathogen that caused ear infections, known clinically as acute otitis media (AOM), in 79 young children ... According to Aino Ruohola, MD, PhD, from the Turku University Hospital in Finland and lead author of the study, "the major finding of the study is that acute otitis media is a coinfection of bacteria and viruses in the great majority of children. This is actually logical since acute otitis media is virtually always... (EurekAlert!)
Antibiotics Only Help with Some Ear Infections Oct 24, 2006
Those under 2 with otitis media in both ears most likely to benefit, study finds ... The condition known as otitis media occurs when the middle ear, behind the eardrum, becomes infected ... "We conclude that antibiotics are beneficial in relieving residual pain or fever at three to seven days in children younger than 2 years of age with bilateral acute otitis media, and in children with acute otitis media and otorrhoea," the researchers wrote. (MEDLINEplus)
Allergy Drugs More Harmful Than Helpful For Chronic Ear Inflammation Oct 19, 2006
Children who have persistent fluid in the middle ear, a condition called otitis media with effusion, are more likely to be harmed than helped by antihistamines and decongestants, a new review of studies has found ... Otitis media with effusion is one of the most common conditions affecting young children, and about nine of 10 children will have OME at least once before school age ... The reviewers pooled the results of 15 randomized controlled trials involving 1,516 children that compared... (Science Daily)
Controlling Antibiotics And Antibiotic Resistance In Hospitals Oct 13, 2006
In one of the first national studies on guidelines that control antibiotics and antibiotic resistance in hospitals, researchers from the Indiana University School of Medicine, the Regenstrief Institute, Inc. and the Richard Roudebush Veterans Administration Medical Center report that hospitals that follow national guidelines on controlling antibiotic use have lower rates of antibiotic resistance. In a study published in the October issue of Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology, the... (Science Daily)
Gene behind 'glue ear' in kids identified Oct 11, 2006
The condition, also called otitis media, meaning inflammation of the middle ear, is the most common cause of hearing impairment in children. Professor Steven Brown, and colleagues studied a mouse with hearing loss, which provided a model of how otitis media affects children ... "Because the Junbo mouse provides a model of how otitis media affects children I hope that it will help researchers to figure out new ways to tackle this disease," the BBC quoted Professor Brown, as saying. (South Asian Women's Forum)
Faulty gene may cause 'glue ear' Oct 9, 2006
The condition, also called otitis media, meaning inflammation of the middle ear, is the most common cause of hearing impairment in children ... In otitis media, the inflammation often begins when infections that cause sore throats, colds, or other breathing problems spread to the middle ear - the part of the ear that lies behind the eardrum ... There are many reasons why children are more likely to suffer from otitis media than adults. (BBC News -- Health)
Flu antivirals underused Oct 1, 2006
--A 39 percent reduction in the risk of otitis media - ear infections. --A 28 percent reduction in the risk of respiratory illness. (Monsters and Critics.com)
Time often best Rx for ear pain Oct 1, 2006
Ear infection, or otitis media, is one of the most common of childhood ailments. Three out of four children experience it by the time they are 3 years old, according to the National Institutes of Health. (Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star, VA)
Tamiflu significantly reduces the risk of death from influenza Sep 30, 2006
Influenza complications occur in all patient groups and include bronchitis, sinusitis, otitis media, and pneumonia. About Tamiflu. (EurekAlert!)
Doctors, parents getting an earful on using antibiotics Sep 27, 2006
Resistance to antibiotics is a major public health concern worldwide, and acute otitis media (AOM, or ear infection) is the most common reason for prescribing antibiotics to children, at a rate of about 15 million prescriptions per year in the U.S.. What s new about this study is parents went along with the doctor s recommendations, said Dr. C.J. Menagh, a Franciscan Skemp Healthcare pediatrician. (La Crosse Tribune, WI)
Researchers Look for Vaccine to Treat Ear Infections Sep 27, 2006
Otitis media is No. 1 cause of childhood hearing loss ... TUESDAY, Sept. 26 (HealthDay News) -- Researchers are trying to determine why the bacterial ear infection called acute otitis media causes pain, fluid buildup and hearing loss in some children but not in others ... The findings could prove to be an important step in the development of a vaccine for otitis media, the leading cause of childhood hearing loss. (Health-Finder)
'Wait-and-see' Approach For Treating Ear Infections Substantially Reduces Use Of Antibiotics Sep 22, 2006
Acute otitis media (AOM; ear infection) is the most common reason for which an antibiotic is prescribed to children. Treatment of AOM accounts for an estimated 15 million antibiotic prescriptions written per year in the United States, according to background information in the article. (Science Daily)
Wait-and-See Approach Works for Children's Ear Infections Sep 14, 2006
Each year, about 15 million antibiotic prescriptions are filled to treat acute ear infections -- called acute otitis media by doctors ... The first is that acute otitis media often gets better on its own, with no treatment ... Previous studies have looked at children who don't have severe otitis media, and those studies found that children often get better without antibiotic treatment. (MEDLINEplus)
Mortality Rate Is Twice As High In Patients With Pneumonia Caused By Highly Resistant Bacteria Aug 30, 2006
Patients suffering from hospital-acquired pneumonia caused by a type of bacteria that is highly resistant to virtually all antibiotics are twice as likely to die as patients infected with other, less resistant bacteria. A study published recently in the journal Critical Care shows for the first time that the highly resistant, metallo-beta-lactamase-producing Pseudomonas aeruginosa is associated with a much higher mortality rate than other types of the bacteria in patients with hospital-acquired... (Science Daily)
New Study Casts Pall Over Ear Tube Hype Aug 22, 2006
A newsletter published in November 1993 for parents of young children proclaimed that hearing loss resulting from otitis media with effusion, or OME, as the problem is known medically, "can cause serious retardation of a child's language skills, teasing and tormenting by playmates and siblings, anger and punishment from parents or teachers who may think the child is deliberately `ignoring' them and even permanent hearing damage.". What conscientious parent would not want to prevent such... (The Ledger)
Bulky biofilms found in kids' ears Jul 12, 2006
The middle-ear inflammation called otitis media is the most common reason for children's doctor visits and antibiotic prescriptions in the United States alone. Some are acute infections that clear up rapidly with a dose of antibiotics. (Nature News Service)
Drugs ineffective for kids' ear infections, study says Jul 12, 2006
"Nearly all of the children in our study who suffered from chronic otitis media tested positive for biofilms in the middle ear," Dr. Ehrlich said in a news release. "It appears that in many cases recurrent disease stems not from re-infection as was previously thought and which forms the basis for conventional treatment, but from a persistent biofilm.". (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, PA)
Chronic middle ear infections linked to resistant biofilm bacteria Jul 12, 2006
Groundbreaking study makes definitive statement against use of antibiotics to treat children with Chronic Otitis Media ... The discovery of biofilms in the setting of chronic otitis media represents a landmark evolution in the medical community's understanding about a disease that afflicts millions of children world-wide each year and further endorses the emerging biofilm paradigm of chronic infectious disease, said Garth Ehrlich, Ph ... According to co-investigator Joseph E. Kerschner M.D.,... (EurekAlert!)
OctoPlus Obtains Full Rights to OP-145 for the Treatment of Chronic Middle Ear Infection and Other Indications Jul 5, 2006
OP-145 offers potential benefits to patients with chronic otitis media that do not respond to currently available antibiotics and thereby require surgical intervention. Middle ear infections are a very common condition, especially in young children but also in adults, and cause a severe morbidity burden. (PR Newswire)
New 7-in-1 vaccine for toddlers Jul 3, 2006
Invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) is a group of illnesses like meningitis, bacterial pneumonia, septicaemia and bacteraemia (bacteria in the blood), acute otitis media (inflammation of the middle ear), sinusitis (infection of the sinuses), which are caused by a bacteria called pneumococcus. In cases of untreated patients or treatment failure, it can lead to hearing loss, paralysis and sometimes even death. (Daily News & Analysis)
Are Antibiotics Being Used For Too Long? Jun 10, 2006
(October 11, 2002) -- More children are treated in the U.S. with antibiotics for inflammation of the middle ear, or otitis media, than any other child health problem. More than five million cases are diagnosed every year. (Science Daily)
Are Antibiotics For Suspected Childhood Meningitis Harmful? Jun 5, 2006
ScienceDaily: Are Antibiotics For Suspected Childhood Meningitis Harmful. Posted: June 4, 2006. (Science Daily)
World first research to speed up cure for ear infections Apr 19, 2006
According to the World Health Organisation, almost half of the world's population suffers from 'chronic otitis media' more commonly known as an ear infection which causes hearing loss and can lead to more serious disorders such as meningitis ... "Chronic otitis media is a major problem throughout the world and particularly affects the indigenous Australian population. These studies have the potential to help greatly", Professor Atlas said. (EurekAlert!)