Acute Otitis Media in the 21st Century: What Now?

Acute otitis media (AOM) is, by far, the most common indication for antibiotic prescribing to children.‍1 Thus, understanding the epidemiology of AOM is important to optimize clinical outcomes and promote judicious antibiotic use.‍ In this issue of Pediatrics, Kaur et al2 offer a community-based glimpse into 21st century AOM.‍ Notably, the authors summarize the current bacteriology of AOM in the patients of Legacy Pediatrics, a research-oriented primary care practice in Rochester, New York.‍ It is gratifying to note that research from individual practice settings is alive and well.‍ Pichichero and co-workers3 –5 have been tracking changes in bacteriology of AOM at Legacy Pediatrics since 2007.‍ He previously published work with similar methodology6 on patients from Elmwood Pediatrics, the Rochester practice with the decades-long tradition of infectious disease research dating back to Breese and Disney’s first article on group A streptococci.‍7