Background: Chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM) is a persistent middle ear disease with high risk of irreversible complications in absence of timely management. It is a massive health problem with India having the highest prevalence rate (>4%) requiring urgent attention.

Objective: To find out risk factors, microbiological profile, with their susceptibility pattern, of ear discharge in CSOM patients to provide guidelines for the emperical treatment.

Material and Methods: Ear discharge samples from 130 clinically diagnosed CSOM patients were collected and processed. Microbial isolates were identified and drug susceptibility testing was conducted using Kirby –Bauer disc diffusion method.

Results: Pseudomonas species (59/120,49.16%) was the predominant isolate followed by Staphylococcus species (37/120,30.83%) while Aspergillus species (10/12,83.33%) was the predominant fungus isolated. No anaerobic bacteria were isolated on culture. Gram negative bacilli were most susceptible to Meropenem (95.45%), Amikacin (91%) and Netilmycin (91%) while Pseudomonas species was to Imipenem (98.3%).Gram positive cocci showed 100% susceptibility to Vancomycin, Linezolid and Doxycycline.

Conclusion: A continuous and periodic evaluation of microbiological pattern of CSOM and antimicrobial sensitivity of isolates is necessary for forming the basis of emperical treatment which shall aid in decreasing the potential risk of complications. Further, accurate and timely identification, knowledge of the pathogens and judicious use of antibiotics is the need of the hour.