Changes in the microbial flora of the external auditory canal in hospitalised patients treated with systemic antibiotics

ABSTRACT

This work was carried out on 150 subjects divided into three groups Group A [100 hospitalized patients receiving antibiotic therapy for more than 10 days], group B [25 hospitalized patients who did not receive antibiotics for the past 30 days] and group C [25 non hospitalized persons receiving no antibiotics for at least the past 30 days]. Groups B and C act as controls. Cultures from both external auditory canals were collected, cultured and examined. Results revealed that antibiotic is the major factor determining the colonization of group A with Gram-negative bacilli and fungi. The isolated Gram-negative bacilli may play a role in suppurative ear disease