Antibiotic Treatment Failure
Clinical and Bacteriologic Failure
- Noncompliance
- Resistant bacterial pathogen – inadequate T > MIC
- Sensitive bacteria, but drug distribution failure
(e.g., AOM complicating chronic mucoid OME; viral infection)
- Immune deficiency -- acquired, congenital
Bacteriologic Success / Clinical Failure
- Middle ear reinfection
- Concurrent viral infection
- Persisting ME inflammation after clearing bacterial pathogen