Failure to Detect Viral Antigens in the Middle Ear Secretions of Patients with Secretory Otitis Media

Abstract

A solid-phase enzyme-immunoassay technique was used for the detection of respiratory virus antigens in middle ear and nasopharyngeal secretions of 96 children with secretory otitis media (SOM) in order to test the hypothesis of chronic viral infection as the cause of the SOM. In spite of the high sensitivity of the assays used (1 to 10 ng/ml of purified viral antigen), respiratory virus antigens were not detectable in any of the middle ear or nasopharyngeal secretions studied. The results do not offer evidence supporting the role of chronic viral infection as an etiopathogenic factor of SOM.