Investigators: Karli Geerlings, Lea-Ann Kirkham, Peter Richmond, Ruth Thornton
External collaborators: Heidi Smith-Vaughan (Menzies School of Health Research, Darwin, NT), Stephen O'Leary (Melbourne University)
Summary: By analysing samples collected from children with chronic ear disease at the time of surgery we will be able to have tests to predict which children will do well from surgery and identify those who may need more intensive treatment. This will improve the outcomes for children suffering from chronic ear disease.
Project description:
This is the first study to investigate the microbiology and immune response in the middle ears of Indigenous and non-Indigenous children with chronic OM and how this relates to nasopharyngeal bacterial load. This study will investigate those host and microbial factors which may be important predictors of clinical outcomes. Our overarching research question is: Is high pathogen density in the nasopharynx, adenoid and middle ear associated with clinical failure after surgery? This project will generate new knowledge as to whether we are able to predict which children will respond well to surgical treatment and which factors (immunological or microbiological) need to be targeted to improve outcomes. This will enable translation into treatment regimens that will lead to improved treatment outcomes for those children who already have disease as well as giving us more information towards developing effective preventatives.