OTOMYCOSIS

b j e c t i v e s : To determine the efficacy of tincture mertheolate in otomycosis. Design: An experimental study. Setting:Department of ENT Allama Iqbal Medical College/ Jinnah Hospital, Lahore. Period: From Dec. 2007 to April 2008. Patients & M e t h o d s A totalof 60 patients of symptomatic otomycosis were investigated prospectively. Aural swabs were collected on first, 7th and 14th day and examined,by direct microscopy of external auditory canal and culture for fungi. Of these 60 patients found to be having pure fungal infection were takenup for mycological and therapeutic study. Results Fungi belonging to Aspergillus were isolated in 57(95%) patients of which Aspergillus nigerwas the commonest isolated in 34(56.6%) patients followed by Aspergillus flavus in 21(35%) and Aspergillus fumigates in 2(3.33). Candidaspecies in 2(3.3%) and Mucor in 1 (1.6%) of patients. The patients were of all age groups but majority were between 21 and 30 years and themale to female ratio was equal. No patient had fungal infection elsewhere in the body. The patients were called for regular follow-up for threeweeks. In 30 cases tincture mertheolate was applied as topical antifungal agent after cleaning the external auditory canal, in 17 patient'sclotrimazole and in rest of the 13 patients miconazole was used. On 7th day, only 8 (13.3%) patients grew fungi in culture. They becamesymptom free on 14th day and no fungal material could be seen on otoscopy, direct microscopy or culture. Tincture mertheolate was found tobe most effective in these patients.