Serotype distribution in pneumococcal acute otitis media with ruptured tympanic membrane or sepsis in Germany

This retrospective analysis examined the pneumococcal serotype distribution of acute otitis media in Germany from 1995 to 2007. Data from the German National Reference Centre for Streptococci included 512 cases of pneumococcal otitis media in children and adults. Infections were mainly seen in children aged <5 years, who represented 67.0% of all reported cases. Most isolates (86.7%) were from spontaneous ruptures of the tympanum; 11.1% of the isolates were from otogenic sepsis or meningitis. Serotype 19F was the leading serotype (21.5%); serotype 3 (13.9%) was also often encountered. In children aged <5 years, the 7-valent, 10-valent, and 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccines covered 54.3%, 60.2%, and 84.6% of the serotypes, respectively. Reduced penicillin susceptibility (minimum inhibitory concentration ≥0.1 mg/l) was seen in 11.0% of strains; 22.4% of strains were resistant to macrolides. Although based on a very limited selection of acute otitis media isolates, this analysis provides an estimate of the pneumococcal serotypes responsible for otitis media in Germany and underscores the need for future prospective studies.