Case 13-1999

Presentation of CaseA 20-year-old woman was admitted to the hospital because of chronic right otitis media.The patient had been well until one year earlier, when a “bad cold” developed, with a sore throat. The sore throat subsided after one week, but nasal congestion and the sensation that her ears were blocked persisted for a month. A physician made a diagnosis of sinusitis and prescribed a nasal spray and an unknown antibiotic. The left ear became clear, but the right ear remained symptomatic. Treatment with trimethoprim–sulfamethoxazole provoked a rash and was discontinued, and a third antibiotic was ineffective. Painless . . .