Otomycosis: Study of Etiopathological Factors and Mycological Spectrum

Aim Otomycosis, study of etiopathological factors and mycological spectrum.

Objectives

1. To study various etiological factors.

2. To study the mycological spectrum.

Materials and Methods Source of data study was undertaken at the Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Sri Siddhartha Medical College and Hospital, Tumkur, from June 2017 to June 2018. It was a time-bound study, wherein 51 cases were studied. Method of Data Collection Informed consent was taken, detailed clinical history was recorded, and clinical findings were noted. Otomycotic debris was subjected to mycological spectrum by KOH, and direct inoculation into Sabouraud dextrose agar. One swab for wet mount preparation in 10% KOH solution. The second swab was directly inoculated into Sabouraud dextrose agar medium.

Results Out of 51 patients, 47 reported positive fungal isolates. This constituted 92.1% cases, which were taken up for study. The study showed higher incidence of otomycosis in females (53.2%) than in males (46.8%). In this study. otomycosis was found to be unilateral in 44 cases (93.6%) and bilateral in three cases (6.4%). In this study, most common predisposing factor was use of unsterile material for cleaning the ear (buds, match sticks, hair pins, pencils, etc.) in 55.3% of cases, followed by use of ear drops (antibiotic and steroids) in 51.1% cases, water entering the ear canal in 42.5% of cases, use of head cloth in 21.3% of cases, and previous ear surgery in 8.5% of cases.

Conclusion In conclusion, otomycosis/mycotic otitis externa is still a common problem and is often misdiagnosed for other chronic otitis conditions. Age does not act as a barrier or gender does not give immunity to this disease and it is usually a unilateral disorder. Cleaning of external auditory canal with unsterile material and use of topical antibiotic/steroid ear drops were commonest predisposing factors. The fungi isolated were Aspergilli and Candida.