Original Articles
Clinical presentation of otomycosis | |
Dr. Sumit Walia, Dr. Vikrant Singh Ghiyali | |
Background: Otomycosis, a fungus that affects the external auditory canal, is a condition that frequently arises in the general otolaryngology division. Otomycosis is more frequently seen in hot, humid regions, and it is predisposed to by a number of human and environmental variables. In this study, the prevalence of otomycosis in a known population will be investigated. Material and methods: 100 patients over the age of 10 with clinically diagnosed cases of otomycosis who presented to the ENT department over a 5-year period were included in the study. Along with potential risk variables and clinically observed findings, specific patient demographics including age, gender, and clinical presentations were noted. Samples taken from each person were cultured to assess the microbiological causes. Results are presented in a tabular format after statistical analysis. Results: The results obtained in our study revealed that the majority of the subjects were between the ages of 20 and 30 years, making a total of 59% of the study population. Males were observed more commonly than in females accounting for 63% of the total study population. 93 patients reported unilateral ear involvement among which the right ear was involved in 87% of the cases. The most frequently observed risk factor was self-cleaning of ears with objects such as q-tips, wooden sticks, metal pickers, etc. seen in 74% of the study population, followed by the use of antibiotic ear drops observed in 62% and instillation of mustard oil in 55% of the study group. The most common presenting symptom in the study population was reported to be pruritus of the ear in 79% followed by otalgia in 68%, and sensation of blocked ear observed in 53%. Fungi were established to be the causative organism in 97 out of the total 100 samples and the most commonly isolated fungi were Aspergillus seen in 91% of the total population. The most common species of Aspergillus that was isolated from samples was Aspergillus Niger seen in 61%. The second most commonly isolated fungus was Candida in 19% of the group. Bacteria were isolated from 59% of the total samples as a concomitant organism, Staphylococcus aureus is the most commonly seen in 54% of the samples. Conclusion: Otomycosis was shown to be more common in males between the ages of 20 and 30. The most frequently identified organisms are fungi, mainly Aspergillus and Candida, and bacterial contamination, particularly by Staphylococcus aureus, should be anticipated in some of these instances. Keywords: Otomycosis, Otitis externa, Fungal ear infections, Candida, Aspergillus, Microbiological causes, Risk factors. |
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