A 5-year-old child presents with recurrent episodes of acute otitis media. The most common pathogen isolated in acute otitis media in children is:

• A Moraxella catarrhalis
• B Haemophilus influenzae (non-typeable)
• C Streptococcus pyogenes
• D Streptococcus pneumoniae ✓

Explanation

Streptococcus pneumoniae is the most common bacterial pathogen in acute otitis media, accounting for approximately 30 to 40% of cases. Non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae is the second most common, followed by Moraxella catarrhalis. Since the introduction of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines, the proportion of non-typeable H. influenzae has increased relative to S. pneumoniae, but S. pneumoniae remains the most common overall cause.

Reference: Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics, 21st ed.

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Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.