TY - JOUR ID - 90365 TI - Otomycosis in Damascus, Syria: Etiology and clinical features JO - Current Medical Mycology JA - CMM LA - en SN - 2423-3439 AU - Ismail, Mohammad taher AU - Alkafri, Abeer AU - Ismail, Mazen AD - Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Arab International University (AIU), Ghabaghib, Daraa Governorate, Syria AD - Research Department, Arab International University (AIU), Ghabaghib, Daraa Governorate, Syria Y1 - 2017 PY - 2017 VL - 3 IS - 3 SP - 27 EP - 30 KW - Aspergillus KW - Candida KW - Otomycosis KW - Syria DO - 10.29252/cmm.3.3.27 N2 - Background and Purpose: Otomycosis is a fungal infection that frequently involves the external auditory canal. The epidemiologic data on the etiologic agents of otomycosis in Syria are very limited. In this study, we aimed to determine the fungal agents, gender distribution, and clinical presentation of otomycosis. Materials and Methods: Two hundred and ninety nine patients (153 [51.17%] male and 146 [48.83%] female) clinically prediagnosed as otomycosis were studied at Al-mouassat University Hospital and ENT Crescent Syrian Clinic. Clinical samples were collected from the ear discharges and cultured on Sabouraud Agar. Results: Otomycosis was diagnosed in 70 (23.4%) cases, with the highest prevalence in males aged 16-75 years (73.6%). The isolation rates of mold and yeast fungi were 75.7% and 24.3%, respectively. The most common presentations were otorrhea (98.66%), otalgia (18.06%), and hearing loss (6.35%). Our results showed that 64.28% of otomycosis agents were Aspergillus species. A. niger was the most common agent (45.7%), and 24.3% of the pathogens were C. albicans. Conclusion: Otomycosis agents most commonly belonged to the genus of Aspergillus followed by Candida, which should be seriously considered by physicians for appropriate treatment.   UR - https://cmm.mazums.ac.ir/article_90365.html L1 - https://cmm.mazums.ac.ir/article_90365_f81e98b0d003eb9fc33155a41e92b131.pdf ER -