Rhinovirus in otitis media with effusion.

We studied rhinovirus in the middle ear fluid of 61 children with subacute or chronic otitis media with effusion. Rhinovirus was recovered from the middle ear fluid of 5 children with subacute otitis media with effusion. The minimum duration of effusion was 32 to 60 days. Additionally, 1 patient had middle ear fluid that was positive for adenovirus. Bacterial pathogens were cultured from the middle ear fluid of 20 of 61 patients. Our finding that rhinovirus can be isolated from middle ear fluid after an asymptomatic period of several weeks suggests its possible role in the development of otitis media with effusion.