Bacillus cereus is a key microbial determinant of intractable otitis media with effusion

Abstract

Abstract Background Currently, the mechanisms by which otitis media with effusion (OME) progresses to intractable OME is unclear. Since crosstalk between microbiome and host contributes to many diseases, we hypothesized that similar interactions could occur in the middle ear effusion (MEE) samples from patients with OME and influence intractable OME pathogenesis. This study aimed to evaluate the microbial profile of MEE samples and to determine whether there were microbial differences between the MEE microbiota of patients with intractable OME and those with rapidly cured OME. Methods MEE samples were collected from 46 OME patients, including 20 from the long course group and 26 from the short course group. Metagenomic sequencing was performed on 30 of these samples, allowing the identification of microbial differences associated with varying disease durations. The difference was verified by further experimental validation, including fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Results The alpha diversity indices and overall MEE microbial structure show no significant difference between the long course and short course groups, but species such as Bacillus cereus, Nocardiopsis dassonvillei, and Rothia aeria are significantly more prevalent in the MEE of long course OME patients. qPCR analyses and FISH also confirm the difference in the abundance of Bacillus cereus between the two groups. Conclusions Bacillus cereus plays a role in the persistence of OME infection and serves as a potential biomarker to predict OME prognosis. Further studies are warranted to explore the value of Bacillus cereus detection in informing early intervention.