Identification of Fungal Pathogens in the Patients with Otomycosis: A One-Year Observational Study at a Tertiary Care Hospital in Dhaka City of Bangladesh

Abstract

Background: Accurate diagnosis of otomycosis depends on reliable microscopy and culture, supported by adjunctive tools such as PCR.

Objective: This study was carried out to isolate and identify Fungal pathogens both phenotypically and genotypically among the patients with otomycosis. Phenotypic methods offer cost-effective routine diagnosis with PCR aiding timely and targeted therapy.

Methodology: The clinically suspected patients of otomycosis attending in the OPD of otolaryngology department of Dhaka Medical College Hospital, Dhaka were studied by Cross sectional observational study from January 2024 to December 2024. All aural swab samples were processed for direct microscopic examination and culture. Species identification was performed using colony morphology, microscopic features and biochemical tests with polymerase chain reaction employed for confirmation of Fungal pathogens. Species identification guides targeted antifungal therapy and reduces complications.

Results: Out of 386 patients of otomycosis Candida species 51 (13.21%) was the most common isolated fungal pathogen followed by Aspergillus species 29 (7.51%) and no growth of organism was seen in 306 (79.27%) samples.

Conclusion: The present study highlights that Candida albicans and Aspergillus niger were the most prevalent fungal isolates among all clinically suspected patients of otomycosis in a tertiary care hospital in Dhaka.

Bangladesh Journal of Medical Microbiology, January 2026;20 (1):10-17