Ear Infection-Causing Microorganisms and Pacifier Use in Children Under 5 Years Old

Abstract

Research took place in Balad City between May 1 and November 1, 2022. Patients like these are treated at primary health care clinics and the Balad Children's Hospital. There were 221 individuals younger than 5 years old diagnosed with an ear infection. Fifty youngsters who seemed healthy and had never used a pacifier served as a control group. All patients and controls had ear swabs cultured. Approximately 70% of ear samples cultivated were successful. Staph. aureus accounted for 31% of all isolates. 4.0% streptococcus pyogenes 6-9% Strep pneumonia. About 10% of the isolates were found to have Pseudomonas aeruginosa in the ear. 3% also tested positive for M. catarrhalis. Other bacteria belonging to the family Enterobacteriaceae were also discovered (E. coli in 5%, K. pneumonia in 3% and 6%, and P. mirabilis in 5%). Candida alpicans, a kind of (yeast-like fungi), was also detected in the ears of roughly 11% of study participants. Sixty-six percent of all patients were found to be using some sort of pacifier or dummy, whereas 34 percent were not. The purpose of this research was to see if restricting kids' pacifier use could reduce their risk of ear infections.