Introduction: Acute otitis media (AOM) affects most (80%) children by 5 years of age and is the most common reason children are prescribed antibiotics. The epidemiology of AOM has changed considerably since the widespread use of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines, which has broad-reaching implications for management.
Areas covered: In this narrative review, we cover the epidemiology of AOM, best practices for diagnosis and management, new diagnostic technology, effective stewardship interventions, and future directions of the field. Literature review was performed using PubMed and ClinicalTrials.gov.
Expert opinion: Inaccurate diagnoses, unnecessary antibiotic use, and increasing antimicrobial resistance remain major challenges in AOM management. Fortunately, effective tools and interventions to improve diagnostic accuracy, de-implement unnecessary antibiotic use, and individualize care are on the horizon. Successful scaling of these tools and interventions will be critical to improving overall care for children.
Keywords: Acute otitis media; amoxicillin; antibiotic stewardship; pneumococcal vaccines; treatment.