Abstract
Chronic suppurative otitis media is a serious, common and notorious infection in developing countries, especially children. It can lead to serious local damage and threatening complications involving CNS infection, as reported in this issue of Journal. A number of risk factors for OM are well known that are associated with an increased risk including young age (peaks at 6-18 months of age, family history, lack of breastfeeding, tobacco smoke and air pollution, pacifier use, poverty and household crowding, winter months and altered host defenses and underlying disease (e.g., cleft palate, Down syndrome, allergic rhinitis).
