The genetics of otitis media

Abstract

Almost every child will suffer at least one episode of otitis media (OM). Therefore, it is not immediately obvious that there is a genetic predisposition to the development of the disease. However, evidence from a variety of studies has shown that there is a clear genetic component to susceptibility to OM. Methodologies for discovering these genes are described within this article. The identification of OM susceptibility genes allows the development of molecular diagnostic assays that will inform the clinician as to which child is at increased risk and warrants more aggressive intervention. Delineating the OM genes not only provides a deeper understanding of the pathophysiology of this common disease, but also of acute and chronic bacterial disease in general.