College of Medicine, Inje University, Paik Hospital, Seoul Otitis media with effusion (OME) is the most common cause of acquired hearing loss in childhood. The pathogenesis still remains unclear, though it is closely related to viral upper
respiratory
infections, It is known that respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is one of the most common virus isolated from middle ear effusions. The reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and the nested polymerase chain reaction (nested PCR)
were
used for detection of RSV sequences in middle ear effusions collected from children with intractable OME.
These samples were collected from June 1, to December 31, 1994, and the sequences of RSV were detected in 1 of 12 samples tested (8.3%). This observation suggests RSV as a factor in the pathogenesis of OME, but some other factors may be involved
in
the
disease processes of prolonged OME.
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