Question:

Acute suppurative otitis media in children is most commonly caused by?

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The leading middle-ear pathogen in children, ahead of H. influenzae and M. catarrhalis.
Updated On: Jun 24, 2026
  • Streptococcus pneumoniae
  • Staphylococcus epidermidis
  • Staphylococcus aureus
  • Pseudomonas
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The Correct Option is A

Solution and Explanation

Step 1: Acute suppurative otitis media (ASOM) is an acute bacterial infection of the middle ear cleft, especially common in infants and children.

Step 2: It usually follows an upper respiratory tract infection such as acute tonsillitis, common cold, or influenza, and the organisms ascend through the eustachian tube into the middle ear.

Step 3: The single most common causative organism is Streptococcus pneumoniae, followed by Haemophilus influenzae and Moraxella catarrhalis. Hence option a is correct.

Step 4: Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus aureus, and Pseudomonas are not the usual primary cause of ASOM in children, so they are incorrect.
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