Identifying microbial factors protective against recurrent acute otitis media — ASN Events
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  3. Identifying microbial factors protective against recurrent acute otitis media

Identifying microbial factors protective against recurrent acute otitis media (#106)

Rachael Lappan 1 2 , Kara Imbrogno 1 3 , Chisha Sikazwe 4 , Denise Anderson 3 , Danny Mok 3 , Harvey Coates 5 , Shyan Vijayasekaran 5 6 , Paul Bumbak 5 6 , Christopher C Blyth 2 4 5 6 , Sarra E Jamieson 3 , Christopher S Peacock 1 3
  1. The Marshall Centre for Infectious Diseases Research and Training, School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
  2. Wesfarmers Centre of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases, Telethon Kids Institute, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
  3. Telethon Kids Institute, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
  4. Department of Microbiology, PathWest, Perth, WA, Australia
  5. School of Medicine, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
  6. Princess Margaret Hospital for Children, Perth, WA, Australia

Background

Recurrent acute otitis media (rAOM, recurrent ear infection) is a common childhood disease caused by bacteria known as otopathogens, for which current treatments have limited effectiveness. Generic probiotic therapies have shown promise, but seem to lack specificity. We hypothesised that healthy children with no history of rAOM carry protective commensal bacteria that could be translated into a specific probiotic therapy to break the cycle of re-infection. We characterised the nasopharyngeal microbiome of these children in comparison to children with rAOM to identify potentially protective bacteria. As some children with rAOM do not appear to carry any of the known otopathogens, we also hypothesised that characterisation of the middle ear microbiome could identify novel otopathogens, which may also guide the development of more effective therapies.

Methods

We recruited children undergoing ventilation tube insertion for rAOM as cases, and age- and season-matched children with no history of AOM despite exposure to major risk factors (i.e. attendance at day care) as controls. Middle ear fluids, middle ear rinses and ear canal swabs from the cases and nasopharyngeal swabs from both groups underwent 16S rRNA gene sequencing, and a subset of samples underwent metagenomic shotgun sequencing. All middle ear fluids and nasopharyngeal swabs were also tested for respiratory viruses.

Results

The nasopharyngeal microbiomes of cases and controls were distinct. We observed a significantly higher abundance of Corynebacterium and Dolosigranulum in the nasopharynx of controls. Alloiococcus, Staphylococcus and Turicella were abundant in the middle ear and ear canal of cases, but were uncommon in the nasopharynx of both groups. Gemella and Neisseria were characteristic of the case nasopharynx, but were not prevalent in the middle ear. No additional genera were detected by metagenomic shotgun sequencing, which was taxonomically similar to the profiles produced by 16S rRNA gene sequencing.

Conclusions

Corynebacterium and Dolosigranulum are characteristic of a healthy nasopharyngeal microbiome. Alloiococcus, Staphylococcus and Turicella are possible novel otopathogens, though their rarity in the nasopharynx and prevalence in the ear canal means that their role as normal aural flora cannot be ruled out. Gemella and Neisseria are unlikely to be novel otopathogens as they do not appear to colonise the middle ear in children with rAOM.

#2018ASM