Clinico-mycological study of otomycosis in Raichur, Karnataka: a hospital based study

Abstract

<p class="abstract"><strong>Background:</strong> <span lang="EN-IN">Otomycosis is a fungal infection of the ear canal. It is mostly seen in hot and humid climatic conditions of the tropical and subtropical countries. It can also occur as a result of decreased immunity (and has been seen as a common occurrence as an opportunistic infection in the immunocompromised). </span></p><p class="abstract"><strong>Methods:</strong> <span lang="EN-IN">Patients clinically diagnosed with otomycosis and coming to the ENT department RIMS teaching hospital were first subjected to detailed history taking. The samples from ear will then be collected by three sterile cotton swabs and sent to Microbiology Department, RIMS. Fungal, bacterial cultures were performed and microscopic examination was done. </span></p><p class="abstract"><strong>Results:</strong> <span lang="EN-IN">Patients presented with a wide age range, the youngest patient being 6 months old and eldest being 28.31 years old. The mean age of the study population was 28.31 years. The ratio between male and female patients was 1.13:1 with male predominance. There were 26 patients (81.2%) who had a habit of using pins or sticks. The chief complaints of majority of the patients were pain and itching. Pain ranged from mild to severe type. Least common symptom was tinnitus. </span></p><p class="abstract"><strong>Conclusions:</strong> <span lang="EN-IN">In our study male predominance was seen and majority of cases were unilateral. There were only 5 patients who were immunocompromised. The most common presenting symptom was pain and itching. There were 81.2% patients who had a habit of using pins/ sticks.</span></p>

Otomycosis: a clinical and mycological study

“…1 Infection is often symptomatic, includes itching, pain, otorrhea, pruritis, tinnitus, tingling and loss of hearing. 2 Clinical examination usually shows grayishwhite and black or cheese-like thick debris and inflammation of the outer ear. [3][4][5][6][7][8] Prevalence of disease was more in young adults with female predominance.…”

Sensitivity of Fungi Isolated from Patients Infected with Otitis Externa by Using Antifungal Drugs

“…Many factors can make a person more vulnerable to have otitis externa, as swimming in addition to the habit of abuse the antibiotics without medical consultation and self-ear cleaning [14]. Prakash and Coworkers 2015 [1] showed that antibiotics have an effect on the balance of microbial flora population, which protects the body from pathogenic microbes, in addition to do not clean it periodically may lead to the accumulation of dirt in the ear and thus provide suitable conditions and nutrients for opportunistic and pathogenic microbes to grow and multiply [15,16].…”

“…Prakash et al 2015 [1] reported that (81%) of cases occur during April and December, while Prasad (2014) mention that the percentage of otitis externa was high (76%) in the July, August and September. Otitis externa becomes more common when the hot and humid environment present in the area of the studies in spite of the difference in the location [15,16]. Otitis externa was found worldwide from clinical examination and laboratory diagnosis in our study showed that 64 (64%) patients have a fungal elements in their clinical specimens, the higher isolated fungi from patients with otitis externa were from genus Aspegillus 38 (59%) isolates from them there were Aspergillus niger 24 (37%) Aspergillus flavus 14 (22%), followed by isolates from genus Candida 22 (34%) from them there were Candida albicans 20 (31%), and 2 (3%) Candida glarata, in addition to Penicillum spp.…”