Introduction. Acute otitis media (AOM) is the most common bacterial infection in early childhood, but the underlying mechanisms making some children more susceptible are poorly understood. Aim. To examine the associations between bacterial airway colonization in early life and the risk of AOM and tympanostomy tube insertion (TTI), and whether such associations are modulated by an insufficient local immune mediator response to bacterial colonization. Methodology. Bacterial cultures from hypopharyngeal samples were obtained at 1 week, 1 month and 3 months of age in the Copenhagen Prospective Studies on Asthma in Childhood 2010 (COPSAC2010) cohort comprising 700 children. Twenty immune mediators were quantified from airway mucosal lining fluid sampled at 1 month. AOM symptoms were registered in a daily diary until 3 years. Information on TTI in the first 3 years was obtained from national registers. Results. Children colonized with Streptococcus pneumoniae at 1 month of age had increased incidence of AOM [aIRR 2.43 (1.14–5.21)] and children colonized with Moraxella catarrhalis at 1 month or Haemophilus influenzae at 3 months had an increased risk of TTI [aHR 1.45 (1.00–2.10) and 1.73 (1.10–2.71)]. There were no associations between the local immune mediator response to colonization and risk of AOM or TTI. Conclusion. Pathogenic bacterial airway colonization in early life was found to be associated with an increased risk of otitis media, albeit not consistently. These associations were independent of the local immune response to colonization.

中文翻译：

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生命早期细菌气道定植，局部免疫介质反应和中耳炎的风险。

介绍。急性中耳炎（AOM）是儿童早期最常见的细菌感染，但是使某些儿童更易感染的潜在机制尚不清楚。目标。研究早期细菌气道定植与AOM和鼓膜造口术插入（TTI）的风险之间的关联，以及是否通过对细菌定植的局部免疫介体反应不足来调节这种关联。方法。哥本哈根儿童前瞻性哮喘研究（COPSAC 2010）分别在1周，1个月和3个月大时从下咽样本中获得细菌培养物（COPSAC 2010）队列中有700名儿童。从1个月时采样的气道粘膜衬里液中定量出20种免疫介体。每天在日记中记录AOM症状，直到3年。前三年有关TTI的信息是从国家注册处获得的。结果。1个月大的肺炎链球菌定植的儿童的AOM发生率升高[aIRR 2.43（1.14-5.21）] ，1个月大的粘膜炎莫拉氏菌或3个月的流感嗜血杆菌定植的儿童发生TTI的风险增加[aHR 1.45（1.00（1.00） –2.10）和1.73（1.10–2.71）]。局部免疫介质对定植的反应与AOM或TTI的风险之间没有关联。结论。 尽管并非始终如一，但发现生命早期的致病性细菌气道定植与中耳炎的风险增加有关。这些关联独立于对定植的局部免疫反应。