[Descriptive study of infectious ear disease in relation to summer]

A descriptive study was made of infectious ear disease (including diffuse otitis externa, otomycosis, acute-on-chronic otitis media, and superinfection of a radical mastoidectomy cavity) in relation to changes of weather and habits in summer. During the months of June, July, and August 1996, 179 patients were evaluated in the emergency room of the Alicante General University Hospital, Spain. Average patient age at presentation was 30.52 (+/- 20.08) years and 56% were men. The most frequent disease was diffuse otitis externa (78%) followed by acute-on-chronic otitis media (12%), otomycosis (8%), and superinfection of a radical mastoidectomy cavity (2%). The most frequently involved microorganisms were Pseudomonas aeruginosa in diffuse otitis externa, Aspergillus niger and Candida in otomycosis, Escherichia coli, Haemophilus influenzae, Proteus mirabilis, and Staphylococcus aureus in acute-on-chronic otitis media. Patients were treated by cleaning detritus and secretions, usually followed by topical antibiotics for a maximum period of one week.