Study on the microbial diversity of ear canal secretions from patients with otomycosis - Frontiers
1 Introduction Otomycosis, also known as otitis externa mycotica, is caused by the invasion or massive reproduction of opportunistic fungi and the production of secretions, increasing the complexity of treatment (1). Otomycosis is a common inflammatory lesion in otolaryngology that accounts for 10%–20% of ear canal infections (2). Otomycosis is very common in tropical and subtropical regions where the temperature and humidity are high (3). Frequent ear picking (4), chronic otitis media (5), and the use of antibiotics (6) all increase the incidence of otomycosis. Otomycosis can also cause symptoms such as ear itching, hearing impairment, and ear pain (7). A. niger or A. flavus complex in the genus Aspergillus spp., and Candida albicans , Candida parapsilosis in the genus Candida spp. have been reported to be common causative agents of otomycosis (8, 9). However, the fungal community involved in otomycosis varies with region, climate and patient immune status (10). For example,