Recurrent acute otitis extema is one of the
most common clinical problems in E.N.T clinical practice
especially during summer seasons in our communities.
Hidden or unclercliagnosed fungal infection is thought to
be a clinical problem that may be responsible for recurrent
inflammation and patient unsatisfaction. Purpose: This
study aimed to check the role of fungal infection in cases
of recurrent acute diffuse otitis externa and to identify the
most common causative organisms in our community and
their antimicrobial sensitivity. Patients and methods: This
study was held in Otorhinolaryngology and Microbiology
tind Immunology Departments, Faculty of Medicine, Benha
University, in the period from March 2011 to January 2012
on 100 patients complaining of recurrent otalgia and were
diagnosed to have recurrent acute diffuse otitis extema. Three
samples were collected from the external auditory canal of
each patient with the help of sterile cotton swabs. The first
swab was for direct microscopic examination, the second for
fungal isolation by culture, and the third was for bacterial
isolation by culture. Antibiotic and antifungal sensitivities
were performed for isolated bacteria and fungi respectively.
Results: The present study showed that otitis extema
bacterial infection represented 61% as single pathogen and
otitis extema fungal infection represented 32% as single
pathogen and otitis extema mixed infection represented 7%.
Conclusions: Otomycosis is an underdiagnosed problem
in the management of recurrent acute otitis extema. It is
recommended to depend on the results of microbiological
and sensitivity tests in the management of recurrent otitis
extema and also it is recommended to include antifungal in
the empirical treatment of these cases. |
