Mycological and bacteriological studies in otomycosis

Abstract

The present study was carried out on 185 patients. Aspergilli or Candida were isolated in 93.5% of cases. A.niger was found to be the most common fungus causing otomycosis (44.3 %). Mixed infection with more than one fungus was infrequent. Proteus species, staphylococcus aureus and E.coli were the commonest pathogenic bacteria isolated from 60.8% cases of otomycosis associated with discharge from the ears. An experimental study was also made for the production of otomycosis in 20 human volunteers. Better results were obtained when debris was used to inoculate the healthy ear. In 6 cases (30.7%), the healthy ear could be infected successfully. © 1980 Association of Otolaryngologists of India.