[The microbiome from ear to nasopharynx]

The results of a scoping review on the current state of scientific knowledge in relation to the various anatomical areas from the nasopharynx to the ear are presented. In brief, foreign bodies in the area of the outer ear (hearing aids, piercings) change the microbiome and favor a moist environment. Middle ear infections also lead to changes in the fecal microbiome. Chronic middle ear effusions with otitis media are characterized by Corynebacteria in the nasopharynx. Diseases of the lower respiratory tract are associated with a reduction in diversity in the microbiome of tympanic effusions. Biofilms in the middle ear are associated with severe conductive hearing loss. In patients with a cholesteatoma, an altered middle ear microbiome could also be detected on the opposite side. Both protective and risk-increasing factors of the gut microbiome have been reported for sensorineural hearing loss. The relationship between the microbiome of the nasopharynx and the ear is heterogeneous depending on the underlying disease. In particular, the ability to influence hearing function through diet and the association with the gut microbiome also shed new light on diet as a preventive option for ENT specialists.