Streptococcus pyogenesotitis media with ipsilateral hearing loss facial paralysis complicated by acute mastoiditis and petrous apicitis

Carter Chapman MD, Jacob Nichols MD

ABSTRACT

Streptococcus pyogenes is a common Gram-positive coccus frequently encountered in clinical medicine as the causative agent of skin and soft tissue infections and pharyngotonsillitis. It is also a rare causative agent of acute otitis media, where it is more frequently associated with a complicated disease course when compared to typical causes of acute otitis media. We present a novel case of acute otitis media caused by S. pyogenes that was complicated by ipsilateral hearing loss, ipsilateral facial paralysis, acute mastoiditis, and petrous apicitis in a young adult woman with no significant past medical history.

Keywords: Streptococcus pyogenes, acute otitis media


Article citation: Chapman C, Nichols J. Streptococcus pyogenes otitis media with ipsilateral hearing loss facial paralysis complicated by acute mastoiditis and petrous apicitis. The Southwest Journal of Medicine. 2026;14(60):71–75
From: Department of Internal Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO (CC) Department of Internal Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine, Lubbock, TX (JN)
Conflicts of interest: none
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