Which one of the following microbe, found in ear discharge, has a high predilection for meningitis

Ans. (d) Streptococcus pneumoniae Ref: Dhingra 5th/61, 81 * Meningitis is the commonest intracranial complication of otitis media. * In infants and children, otogenic meningitis usually follows acute otitis media while in adults, it is due to chronic middle ear infection. * Most common organisms in infants and children are Streptococcus pneumonia (30%), H. influenza (20%), and Moraxella catarrhalis (12%). Other organisms include Strep pyogenes, Staph aureus and Pseudomonas. * Strep. Pneumoniae is also the most common cause of pyogenic meningitides in adults.