Microbiologic dilemmas in AOMT: Is a recovered organism indicative of pathogenicity?

Specimen collection and processing greatly impact the type and number of organisms recovered, and this can subsequently change microbiologic outcomes in studies of acute otitis media through tympanostomy tubes (AOMT). For example, in a recent AOMT study that we conducted, a Juhn Tym-Tap device was placed at the lumen of the tympanostomy tube to collect the otorrhea. This was done after the ear canal had been cleaned and suctioned.