About the Authors

Thijs M. A. van Dongen

t.m.a.vandongen@umcutrecht.nl

Affiliation Department of Epidemiology, Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands

Geert J. M. G. van der Heijden

Affiliations Department of Epidemiology, Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands, Division Surgical Specialties, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands

Hanneke G. Freling

Affiliation Department of Epidemiology, Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands

Roderick P. Venekamp

Affiliations Department of Epidemiology, Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands, Division Surgical Specialties, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands

Anne G. M. Schilder

Affiliations Department of Epidemiology, Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands, Division Surgical Specialties, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands, ENT Clinical Trials Programme, Ear Institute, Faculty of Brain Sciences, University College London, London, United Kingdom

Competing Interests

AS has received an honorarium from GlaxoSmithKline for participating in educational activities and workshops related to pneumococcal vaccination and otitis media. She has received funds from GlaxoSmithKline for research on microbial pathogens in acute tympanostomy tube otorrhoea. The other authors have declared that no competing interests exist. This does not alter the authors’ adherence to all the PLOS ONE policies on sharing data and materials.

Author Contributions

Conceived and designed the experiments: TVD GVDH AS. Performed the experiments: TVD HF. Analyzed the data: TVD. Wrote the paper: TVD GVDH HF RV AS. Participated in interpretation of data: TVD GVDH RV AS.