[Otomycosis].

Area of Science:

• Mycology
• Otolaryngology
• Infectious Diseases

Background:

• Otomycosis, a fungal infection of the ear canal, presents diagnostic challenges.
• Clinical diagnosis alone has a lower confirmation rate than mycological analysis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of clinical assessment versus laboratory confirmation for otomycosis.
• To identify common etiological agents and clinical features of otomycosis.
• To assess the efficacy of a specific local treatment for otomycosis.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 163 patients with a clinical diagnosis of otomycosis.
• Mycological laboratory confirmation of fungal presence.
• Clinical symptom documentation, including tympanic membrane status and secretion.
• Etiological agent identification, noting co-infections.
• Treatment outcome assessment for local therapy with vioform and salicylic acid.

Main Results:

• Only 72 out of 163 patients (44.2%) were confirmed to have otomycosis by mycological examination.
• Aspergillus species were the most frequent causative agents identified.
• Common clinical signs included tympanic membrane perforation, secretion, and visible fungal colonies.
• Non-pathogenic bacteria were frequently found alongside fungal pathogens.
• The local treatment regimen achieved an 82% success rate in resolving otomycosis.

Conclusions:

• Mycological confirmation is crucial for accurate otomycosis diagnosis, as clinical assessment alone can be misleading.
• Aspergillus is a primary pathogen in otomycosis, often with bacterial co-infections.
• Topical treatment with vioform and salicylic acid is an effective therapeutic option for otomycosis.