Bacterial profile, their antimicrobial susceptibility pattern and associated factors of otitis media among children at selected private hospitals in Hargeisa City, Somaliland

In Hargeisa, our data suggest the high prevalence of bacterial OM among children, and it calls for urgent public health action. Parental cigarette smoking and allergic rhinitis were associated with higher odds of infection. The study demonstrated the need to revise empirical treatment guidelines for OM in children, taking into account local resistance patterns and promoting the use of more effective antibiotics. Strengthening antimicrobial stewardship and routine susceptibility testing is essential to improve treatment outcomes and curb the spread of resistance. It highlights the importance of integrating both environmental and allergic risk factors into the effective management of OM in children.