الفهرس 
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Abstract
Otitis Media with Effusion (OME) is a pathological condition characterized by the accumulation of fluid (non-purulent) within the middle ear cleft with an intact tympanic membrane. Most frequently, the fluid is mucus and thick, but sometimes serous and thin in consistency.
Although the clinical importance of OME is well recognized, the precise pathogenesis of the disease process is unknown. An inflammatory process in the middle ear caused by bacteria or bacterial products emanating from the nasopharynx is one etiological factor considered in the pathogenesis of OME.
Previous studies reported the presence of bacterial pathogens in the middle ear fluid. These studies mentioned that Haemophilus influenzae, streptococcus pneumonia, and Moraxella catarrhalis are the most common organisms cultured from middle ear fluid in patients with OME
Some studies reported that although these three pathogens are part of normal NP flora, an increased rate of colonization of these pathogens up to two times more in the nasopharynx of the patients with OME
In this study, the middle ear effusion fluid was cultured for bacteria in 30 patients having OME, in addition to nasopharyngeal aspirations.
The results of culture revealed absence of bacteria in the middle ear fluid while the nasopharyngeal aspirations revealed the presence of bacterial pathogens in 60 % of patients.
The bacteria isolated from the nasopharynx belong to the staphylococci and streptococci species which differs from results reported in previous studies.
The present study demonstrated a relation between the presence of bacterial pathogens in the nasopharynx and the development of OME but did not demonstrate the presence of these pathogens in the middle ear effusion.