Fungal flora of hearing aid moulds and ear canal in hearing aid wearers in school children in Ahvaz, Iran (2008)

The aim of study was to determine the presence and nature of fungal flora on hearing aid ear moulds and ear canal in hearing aid wearers. Only ‘behind the ear’ (BTE) acrylic hearing aid moulds were included in this study. Hearing aid ear moulds and ear canal were swabbed and samples were cultured on Sabouraudʹs dextrose agar to determine qualitatively and quantitatively the mycoflora present. Seventeen out of 120 (14.2%) BTE wearers had different fungi in their hearing aids or ear canal. The most common fungi were Aspergillus niger (eight cases) followed by A. flavus (three cases), Rhizopus (three cases), Penicillium (two cases) and C. albicans (three cases). BTE wearers have a varied fungal flora on their ear moulds and ears canal. The fungal flora, including recognized pathogen that colonizes ear canal may lead to otomycosis.