Flu otitis media: causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment

Influenza is an acute viral infectious disease that occurs with a predominant CO injury of the respiratory tract and phenomena of general weakness, weakness, headache, muscle and joint pain. Pathogens of influenza belong to orthomixoviruses and are divided into serological types A (A1, A2), B and C. The source of infectious agents is a sick person, especially in the first 5 days of the disease. Infection - airborne droplets. When the virus is killed endotoxin is released, which, entering the blood, causes damage to capillaries and precapillaries, CNS. Activated with a decrease in immunity, bacterial microbiota of the upper respiratory tract causes inflammation in the paranasal sinuses, larynx, trachea, bronchi and lungs. The same cause is the basis of acute influenza otitis media.

Acute influenza otitis media most often occurs during epidemics of influenza and in other years covers up to 20% of those affected by this viral disease. Bilateral lesion, the presence of herpetic eruptions and hemorrhagic flushing on the surface of the tympanic membrane and in the depth of the ear canal around the drum ring, as well as the presence of hemotimipanum, confirm the influenza origin of otitis caused by the hematogenous spread of the infection.

Symptoms of otitis with influenza. The onset of the disease is characterized by severe pain in the ear (ears) and head, insomnia, a rise in temperature to 39 ° C, a general weakness. When otoscopy on the surface of the tympanic membrane, many herpetic eruptions, covered with a translucent thin layer of epidermis, are revealed, if the integrity of which is disturbed, their serous-bloody or purely hemorrhagic contents pour out into the external auditory canal, which determined the name of this form of acute otitis - "hemorrhagic otitis."

The appearance of the perforation of the tympanic membrane contributes to joining the influenza infection of the banal microbiota, which leads to the emergence of acute purulent otitis media, which can last for 7 to 20 days. In case of influenza epidemics, when the virus has a particular virulence, those with immunocompromised and not vaccinated against this strain develop more severe forms of middle ear disease with a tendency to different complications (mastoiditis, sigmoid sinus phlebitis, necrotic forms of acute middle ear inflammation with significant destructive phenomena of sound-conducting structures). As a rule, such forms of influenza otitis media are accompanied by toxic cochleitis and persistent hearing impairment.

Treatment of influenza otitis media is carried out in the same way as banal otitis, against the background of common anti-influenza therapeutic measures. Timely use of antibiotics and sulfonamides may cause influenza otitis media to reverse development within 4-6 days, and complex antineuritic treatment can prevent toxic damage to labyrinthine and retro labyrinthine nerve structures.

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