External Otitis

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Abstract
100 consecutive acute cases of external otitis were examined for the possible etiologic organisms. From 45% of the patients" ears, Pseudomonas sp. was isolated, whereas only 16% had fungi. The rest showed a variety of bacterial types. From none of the 25 normal ears was either fungi or Pseudomonas sp. isolated. Studies were conducted on the biochemical and metabolic activities of 56 isolates of Pseudomonas obtained from diseased ear canals, pathologic stools, well water, and soil. In general, only 6 carbohydrates of 21 tested were fermented with the formation of acid only, namely, arabinose, galactose, glucose, glycerol, mannose, and xylose. The genus was divisible into 2 distinct groups according to differences in (a) the production of pyo-cyanin, (b) the liquefaction of gelatin, (c) action of litmus milk, (d) the response to temp. extremes, (e) the production of pigment on potato slants, (f) the hemolysis of red blood cells, and (g) acid formation in glycerol. These two groups could be further subdivided according to other minor variations in biochemical activity. It was impossible to identify the isolates specifically because of the inadequacy of the information in the available literature. The isolates from the soil were in a different group from those obtained from pathologic sources.

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