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Fungal Suppurative Otitis Media (Histopathology) Among Patients in North India

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Abstract

Chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM) has a substantial worldwide prevalence and is a major cause of hearing impairment. In cases of CSOM unresponsive to local antibiotics, superimposed fungal infection should be suspected. The aim of the present study was to study the spectrum of cases with fungal otitis media. The study was conducted over a period of 12 years (2006–2017). Fifteen cases of CSOM clinically not suspected to be of fungal etiology that underwent surgery with identification of fungal organisms on histopathology were included in the study. Age of the patients ranged from 12 to 75 years (mean age: 37.1 ± 22.7 years). Of 15 cases, 9 (60.0%) were males and 6 (40.0%) were females. It was a unilateral presentation in all. The complaints observed were ear discharge in all followed by itching (86.7%), pain (46.7%), decreased hearing (26.7%) and blocking sensation (13.3%). Histomorphologic typing of fungus was possible in 13/15 patients. Isolated aspergillus was identified in eight patients while mucor alone was seen in three patients. Mixed infection with Aspergillus + Candida and Aspergillus + Mucor was seen in one patient each. Categorization of fungus could not be done in rest of the two patients due to paucity of fungal profiles. Histopathological identification of fungal organisms in otomycosis provides a quick and fairly reliable diagnosis. Culture is considered the gold standard but it may not always be available or fruitful. Less turnaround time and accurate diagnosis facilitates prompt and optimal therapy in fungal otitis media thus preventing adverse outcomes.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pathology, Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32-A, Chandigarh, 160030, India

    Rajpal Singh Punia & Reetu Kundu

  2. Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32-A, Chandigarh, 160030, India

    Surinder K. Singhal & Arjun Das

  3. Department of Microbiology, Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32-A, Chandigarh, 160030, India

    Jagdish Chander

Authors
  1. Rajpal Singh Punia
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  2. Surinder K. Singhal
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  3. Reetu Kundu
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  4. Arjun Das
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  5. Jagdish Chander
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Contributions

RSP conceptualized the study. RSP, SKS, AD, JC did the data interpretation. RSP, SKS and RK did collection and analysis of data, literature search and prepared the manuscript. RSP, SKS, JC and AD revised the final manuscript critically for important intellectual content.

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Correspondence to Reetu Kundu.

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Punia, R.S., Singhal, S.K., Kundu, R. et al. Fungal Suppurative Otitis Media (Histopathology) Among Patients in North India. Head and Neck Pathol 13, 149–153 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12105-018-0918-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12105-018-0918-2

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