Korean J Otolaryngol-Head Neck Surg.  2005 Jan;48(1):8-12.

Microbiologic Study of the Ear Canal in Koreans

• Chon KM
• Yoon BN
• Park SH
• Lee IW
• Goh EK
• Wang SG
• Chang CH

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.

Keyword

Microbiology; Ear canal; Cerumen

MeSH Terms

Aspergillus
Bacteria
Cerumen
Ear Canal*
Ear*
Ear, External
Fungi
Gram-Positive Bacteria
Healthy Volunteers
Penicillium
Staphylococcus