Otitis externa infection in Jordan - Clinical and microbiological features

Objective: Aims of this study were to investigate the clinical findings and to identify causative microorganisms and their susceptibility to antibiotics in otitis externa infection. Methods: The symptoms and signs, as well as the bacterial and fungal flora from the auditory canal of one hundred and eighty patients (100 males and 80 females), age range from 6 month to 19-years old suffering from acute otitis externa were studied from January 2001 to December 2002. One way ANOVA and Least Significant Difference (LSD) were carried out for statistical analysis. Results: Pain was the most common symptom (97.2%) while, itching and difficulty in hearing were the least common (11.7%). Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P.aeruginosa) was isolated from (41.7%) which showed the best susceptibility to ciprofloxacin (93.4%), aspergillus species from (19.4%), candida albicans from (10.6%), staphylococcus aureus from (16.1%) which showed the best susceptibility to amikacin and ciprofloxacin (96.5%), proteus mirabilis from (2.8%) which showed the best susceptibility (100%) to amikacin, ciprofloxacin, imipenem and ofloxacin, anaerobic bacteria from (2.2%); and no bacteria growth was observed in (7.2%). There was a significant variation relating signs, symptoms and sex in favor of males (P = 0.03). Significant seasonal variation in otitis externa infection was observed (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Pseudomonas aeruginosa was the most frequently isolated pathogenic microorganism, which showed the best susceptibility to ciprofloxacin. Pain was the most common symptom.