Background: Otomycosis is a superficial fungal infection of the external auditory canal. It is one of the major causative diseases for hearing loss if not investigated and treated during the early stage. The present cross-sectional study aims to identify the common fungal pathogens and common clinical manifestations of the infection in the peripheral area of our Hospital.
Material and Methods: The study includes a total of 127 Clinically suspected cases attending to ENT Outpatient Department of our hospital. Two ear swabs are sent to the microbiology laboratory, one for digesting into the 10% KOH mount and another for culture to identify the fungal elements and fungal isolates.
Results: Out of 127 clinically suspected samples, Aspergillus niger was the most common fungi isolated from 118(92.91%) samples which were positive for fungal growth. In this study, males were more affected than females, and 31-40 years was the predominant age group.
Conclusion: In the present study, Itching is the most common complaint, followed by Ear pain, Ear blockage, Ear discharge and decreased hearing. Aspergillus niger was the major pathogen isolated, followed by Candida albicans and Non-Candida albicans. Early diagnosis of the causative fungus might give an opinion to the clinician for proper treatment of the patient to prevent further damage to the Auditory system.
Key words: Otomycosis, Ear swab, Sabouraud dextrose agar, Aspergillus niger
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