The pneumococcal bacterium can cause middle ear infections (otitis media), sinusitis and bronchitis when it spreads through the respiratory tract. Otitis media is one of the more common non-invasive diseases with over 63,000 GP consultations reported each year in England and Wales for pneumococcal otitis media.

Otitis media is inflammation of the middle ear caused by infection.  The middle ear is usually filled with air although, sometimes, for example, during a cold it gets filled with fluid or mucus. If this fluid gets infected with bacteria it causes an ear infection.

Anyone can get otitis media, however it is most common in young children with more than 75% of episodes occurring in children under 10 years of age, as their immune systems are still developing. Otitis media is almost always painful and distressing and in some serious cases can lead to permanent hearing loss.

The information outlined above reflect current NHS Choices recommendations

There are three main types of ear infection:

Acute otitis media

The most common ear infection. Fluid is trapped behind the eardrum and parts of the middle ear are infected and swollen. The term "acute" refers to a short and painful episode.

Otitis media with effusion

Commonly referred to as glue ear, is caused by a build-up of fluid in the middle ear with no symptoms or signs of infection and usually follows an episode of acute otitis media.

Chronic otitis media

Otitis media that lasts for a long time is called chronic otitis media and otitis media that comes and goes is called recurrent otitis media.  Recurrent otitis media could be "chronic" or "acute" depending on the duration of illness.

Not all earaches are caused by otitis media. If there are no symptoms other than the earache itself, it could be due to a different cause. For example, an earache can be caused by a build-up of uninfected mucus after a cold or a toothache.

To check whether a patient may be at greater risk of developing otitis media click here.