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Ear infection with discharge

How common is ear infection with discharge?

Ear infections are common. But people in countries like the United States don't get long-term ear infections with discharge much nowadays.

Only around 4 in 1,000 people in Europe are thought to have a long-term ear infection with discharge at any one time.

Source:
World Health Organisation.
Chronic suppurative otitis media: burden of illness and management options.
2004. Available at http://www.who.int/entity/pbd/deafness/activities/hearing_care/otitis_media.pdf (accessed on 30 April 2009).

¹ We couldn't find figures for the United States. But they are thought to be about the same.

¹ Ear infections with discharge were more common in the past. That's because people were more likely to live in overcrowded housing, and less likely to have easy access to clean water and a good diet.

But long-term (chronic) ear infections are still common in less developed parts of the world. Between 65 million and 330 million people in the world have ear infection with discharge. And up to 3 in 5 people have some hearing loss as a result. More than 9 in 10 people with ear infection with discharge are from less developed countries.

Ear infections with discharge happen to adults and children, but ear infections are more common in children.

Source:
U.S. National Library of Medicine.
Otitis media (chronic).
April 2008. Available at http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/print/ency/article/000619.htm (accessed on 30 April 2009).

Sources for the information on this page:

World Health Organisation.Chronic suppurative otitis media: burden of illness and management options.2004. Available at http://www.who.int/entity/pbd/deafness/activities/hearing_care/otitis_media.pdf (accessed on 30 April 2009).

U.S. National Library of Medicine.Otitis media (chronic).April 2008. Available at http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/print/ency/article/000619.htm (accessed on 30 April 2009).

This information was last updated on May 01, 2009

This information is for educational use only, and is not a substitute for prompt professional medical advice. Readers should always consult a physician or other professional for advice and treatment.
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