One handred swabs were collected from 100 patients with otitis media (OM) (54 females and 46 males) referred to Hilla Teaching Hospital (ENT unit) during the period (from November 2006 through March 2007). The collected samples were investigated for bacterial isolation. The ages of the patients ranged from 7 months to 70 years .
Bacterial cultures were positive in (95%) patients versus (5%) patients revealed negative bacterial culture . The most common type of bacterial isolated were Moraxella catarrhalis (20.83%), followed by Pseudomonas aeruginosa (20%). Besides, uronic acid was detected in most samples of ear discharge.The virulence factors were detected and found to be capsule, colonization factor antigens, hemolysin, siderophores, and extracellular proteases.