Serological characteristics of otitis media with effusion patients with Chlamydia infection and expressions of Toll-like receptors-related mRNA

OBJECTIVE To explore the serological characteristics of otitis media with effusion (OME) patients with Chlamydia infection and analyze the expressions of Toll-like receptors-related mRNA. METHODS A total of 126 patients with OME who were treated in Nanyang Second General Hospital from Feb 2018 to Feb 2021 were assigned as the study group and were divided into the acute group with 31 cases, the subacute group with 42 cases and the chronic group with 53 cases according to clinical characteristics. Meanwhile, 105 people who received physical examination were chosen as the control group. The Chlamydia pneumoniae (Cp), Chlamydia trachomatis (Ct) and immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibodies in serum and middle ear effusion specimens were detected by microimmunofluorescence assay. The levels of interleukin (IL)- 1β, IL-8, IL-10 and tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α) were detected by means of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The expression levels of TLR2 and TLR4 mRNA were detected by real-time fluorescent quantitative polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS The positive rate of Ct in serum and middle ear effusion specimens, from high to low, was in order as the following: the acute group, the subacute group, the chronic group(P＜0.05); there was no significant difference in the positive rate of Cp in serum and middle ear effusion specimens among the subgroups. The levels of serum IL-1β, IL-8 and IL-10, from high to low, were as the following: the control group, the acute group, the subacute group, the chronic group(P＜0.05). The expression levels of TLR2 and TLR4 mRNA,from high to low, were as the following: the control group, the acute group, the subacute group, the chronic group(P＜0.05).CONCLUSION Chlamydia is a major microorganism to lead to OME, and Ct infection is closely associated with the course of OME. The patients with OME show abnormal rise of inflammatory factors, which is closely associated with the occurrence and development of OME; the mechanisms may be associated with the upregulated expressions of TLR-related mRNA.