Three hundred six children were enrolled at birth in a prospective study of otitis media and followed up for 2 years. Adherence of nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae to buccal epithelial cells was compared between otitis-prone children and age- and sex-matched normal controls at birth, 1 year, and 2 years. The mean ± SD/median percent adherence was similar for the two groups at birth (1.6 ± 2.3/1.0 versus 1.2 ± 1.4/1.0; NS) and at 2 years (1.6 ± 1.7/1.5 versus 2.1 ±2.1/1.5; NS). At 1 year of age the adherence rate for the otitis-prone group (2.4 ± 2.6/1.0) was statistically greater than that for the control group (1.0 ± 1.3/0.0; p < .02). Because this difference is probably clinically insignificant, other explanations must be sought for the increased colonization rates of nontypeable H influenzae observed in otitis-prone children.
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