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Pathogens Of Aspergillus: What Is Otomycosis?

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Otomycosis is defined as a fungal infestation of the external ear canal. It is a common complaint in an otolaryngologist’s clinic. Patients with otomycosis usually complain of pruritus, otalgia, decreased hearing & otorrhea with otoscopic findings of small, well-defined areas of granulation tissues with thick fibrinous deposits on the external auditory canal or on the tympanic membrane (1). Lack of cerumen, increased air saturation, heat environment, water sports activity and frequent trauma to the ear canal are contributing factors in development of otomycosis. Cerumen is acidic in nature with a pH of 4 to 5 which does not promote growth of bacteria and fungi. Frequent water exposure of the external ear canal leads to elimination of cerumen and drying of the ear canal (4). Aspergillus niger and Candida albicans are the two most frequent pathogens of otomycosis (5). …show more content…

They can inhabit a wide variety of substrates hence, they are widely distributed, and are found in an extensive array of habitats (6). The genus Aspergillus is the most common cause of otomycosis which comprises approximately 75% of the cases, with Aspergillus niger being the most common species and less common are the Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus fumigates

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