ITGAM and infection: To determine the type of immune cells infiltrating the middle‐ear cavity post‐NTHi infection, the level of neutrophils (CD11b + Ly6G+), macrophages (CD11b + F4/80 + Ly6G‐Ly6C‐), monocytes (CD11b + Ly6C + Ly6G), and lymphocytes (CD11b‐CD5+) was determined in the inoculated and noninoculated Junbo middle‐ear fluids using flow cytometry (Figure 3a).