Microbiologic Study of the Ear Canal in Koreans / 대한이비인후과학회지

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: This study was designed to isolate bacteria and fungi from healthy ear canal in Koreans and compare with known pathogens. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: Specimens were collected from the external ear swab and cerumen of 45 healthy volunteers from February 2003 to May 2003. RESULTS: Forty-five subjects were cultured. In 8 subjects, we failed to obtain enough cerumen. Three canal and 11 cerumen showed no growth. Forty-two canal specimens yielded 72 microorganisms, of which 84.7% were gram positive bacteria. Twenty-six cerumen specimens yielded 43 microorganisms and 76.7% of them were gram positive. Staphylococci was 76.4% of canal bacteria and 74.4% of cerumen bacteria. In both canal and cerumen, the most commonly isolated microorganism was Staphylococcus capitis. Coryneform bacteria were 6.9% of bacteria in canal and were not isolated from cerumen. Two Aspergillus species and one Penicillium species were isolated from canal and cerumen. CONCLUSION: Coagulase-negative staphylococcus (CNS) were found to be the predominant microorganism and, in particular, Staphylococcus capitis was the most commonly isolated microorganism from the normal external auditory canal in Koreans.