otitis me·dia -'mēd-ē-ə n acute or chronic inflammation of the middle ear esp an acute inflammation esp. in infants or young children that is caused by a virus or bacterium, usu. occurs as a complication of an upper respiratory infection, and is marked by earache, fever, hearing loss, and sometimes rupture of the tympanic membrane see SEROUS OTITIS MEDIA
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inflammation of the middle ear; subtypes are distinguished by length of time from onset (acute versus chronic) and by type of discharge (serous versus suppurative).Medical dictionary. 2011.