Hostname: page-component-8448b6f56d-wq2xx Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-24T00:42:34.375Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Study of common aerobic flora of human cerumen

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 June 2007

A. Campos ,
A. Arias ,
L. Betancor ,
C. Rodríguez ,
A. M. Hernández ,
D. López Aguado  and
A. Sierra
A. Campos*
Affiliation:
Department of Preventive Medicine & Public Health, University of La Laguna, Spain.
A. Arias
Affiliation:
Department of Preventive Medicine & Public Health, University of La Laguna, Spain.
L. Betancor
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology, University Hospital of Canary, La Laguna, Spain.
C. Rodríguez
Affiliation:
Department of Preventive Medicine & Public Health, University of La Laguna, Spain.
A. M. Hernández
Affiliation:
Department of Preventive Medicine & Public Health, University of La Laguna, Spain.
D. López Aguado
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology, University Hospital of Canary, La Laguna, Spain.
A. Sierra
Affiliation:
Department of Preventive Medicine & Public Health, University of La Laguna, Spain.
*
Address for correspondence: M. Antonia Campos Dominguez, Cátedra de Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de La Laguna, La Laguna 38071, Tenerife, Islas Canarias, Spain
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Cerumen is the product of the secretion of the sebaceous, ceruminous or apocrine glands together with cells exfoliated from the cornified stratum of the epithelium of the external auditory canal (EAC).

In the present study we identified and quantified common flora of human cerumen. The mean count obtained was 106 microorganisms per ml of cerumen suspension.

In 24 pools of cerumen (33.3 per cent) the isolates were monomicrobial, Staphylococcus epidermidis (12), Corynebacterium spp (10), Staphylococcus aureus (1) and Streptococcus saprophyticum (1). In 48 pools (66.6 per cent) we found polymicrobial isolates.

The most commonly isolated bacteria in these polymicrobial isolates were S. epidermidis (35) and Corynebacterium spp. (43). It is noteworthy that there were isolates of Candida albicans in three cases; in one case of Pseudomonas stutzeri, in one case of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and, on seven occasions, of S. aureus.

The organisms isolated as common bacterial components of human cerumen in our experience were similar to those found by other authors. However, the mean count was much higher. This could be related t o climatic conditions and to the length of time the cerumen had remained in the external auditory canal.

Keywords

CerumenMicrobiology
Type
Main Articles
Information
The Journal of Laryngology & Otology , Volume 112 , Issue 7 , July 1998 , pp. 613 - 616
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited 1998

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Amores, A. E., Martin, F., Mellado, E., Spekelsen, C. (1990) Hallazgos bacteriológicos en exudados óticos de pacientes ambulatorios. Acta Otorrinolaringológica Española 41(6): 383–386.Google Scholar
Bernat, A., de Miguel, G. F., Ayerbe, T. V., Morais, P. D., Carranza, E. (1992) Otitis externas agudas: Estudio retro-spectivo de 170 casos. Acta Otorrinolaringológica Española 43(3): 188–194.Google Scholar
Bortz, J. T., Wertz, P. W. (1990) Composition of cerumen lipids. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology 23(5): 845–849.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Brook, I. (1981) Microbiological studies of the bacterial flora of the external auditory canal in children. Acta Otolar-yngologica (Stockholm) 91: 285–287.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Brook, I., Frazier, E. H., Thompson, D. H. (1992) Aerobic and anaerobic microbiology of external otitis. Clinical Infectious Diseases 15: 955–958.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Campos, M. A., Arias, A., Rodríguez, C., Dorta, A., Betancor, L., López-Aguado, D., Sierra, A. (1995) Etiology and therapy of chronic suppurative otitis. Journal of Chemotherapy 7(5): 427–431.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Chai, T. J., Chai, T. C. (1980) Bactericidal activity of cerumen. Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy 18: 638–641.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Chiang, S. P., Lowry, O. H., Senturia, B. H. (1957) Micro-chemical studies on normal cerumen. II. The percentage of lipid and protein in casual and fresh cerumen. Journal of Investigative Dermatology 28: 63–68.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Cipriani, C., Taborelli, G., Gaddia, G., Melagrana, A., Rebora, A. (1990) Production rate and composition of cerumen: influence of sex and seasons. Laryngoscope 100(3): 275–276.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Creed, E., Negus, V. E. (1926) Investigations regarding the function of aural cerumen. Journal of Laryngology and Otology 41: 223–230.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Garcia, J. A., Garcia, J. E., Muñoz, J. L., Garcia, M. I. (1990) Etiología y terapéutica e la patología infecciosa ótica en el adulto. Revista Española de Quimioterapia 3(4): 363–369.Google Scholar
Garcia-Martos, P., Delgado, D., Diaz, J., Avalos, E., Marin, P. (1991) Etiología de la otitis externa en la ciudad de Cádiz. Enfermedades Infecciosas y Microbiología Clínica 9(4): 260–261.Google Scholar
Gregg, J. B. (1985) Ruminations upon cerumen: dry vs wet; Indian vs Caucasian. South Dakota Journal of Medicine 38(5): 23–27.Google ScholarPubMed
Hawke, M., Wong, J., Krajden, S. (1984) Clinical and microbiological features otitis externa. Journal of Otolar-yngology 13(5): 289–295.Google ScholarPubMed
McCullough, J., Giles, E. (1970) Human cerumen types in Mexico and New Guinea: a humidity - related polymorphism in ‘Mongoloid’ peoples. Nature 226: 460–462.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Mugliston, T., O'Donoghue, G. (1985) Otomycosis-A continuing problem. Journal of Laryngology and Otology 99: 327–333.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Perry, E. T., Nichols, A. C. (1956) Studies on the growth of bacteria in the human ear canal. Journal of Investigative Dermatology 27: 165–170.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Senturia, B. H. (1945) Etiology of external otitis. Laryngo-scope 55: 277–293.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Senturia, B. H., Carr, C. D. (1958) Studies of factors considered responsible for diseases of the external ear. I. Survival of exogenous bacteria in the external auditory canal under varied conditions. Laryngoscope 68:2052–2079.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Senturia, B. H., Marcus, M. D., Lucente, F. E. (1980) In Diseases of the External Ear. An Otologic-Dermatologic Manual. 2nd Edition. Grune Stratton, Inc. New York, pp 1–17, 31–78.Google Scholar
Shichijo, S., Masuda, H., Takeuchi, M. (1979) Carbohydrate composition of glycopeptides from the human cerumen. Biochemical Medicine 22: 256–263.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Stone, M., Fulghum, R. S. (1984) Bactericidal activity of wet cerumen. Annals of Otology, Rhinology and Laryngology 83: 183–186.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tramont, E. C. (1991) Mecanismos de defensa del huésped. In Enfermedades Infecciosas. Principios y Práctica. 3rd Edition, (Mandel, G. L., Douglas, R. G., Bennett, J. E., Eds.), Editorial Médica Panamericana, Buenos Aires, pp 35–42.Google Scholar
Yassin, A., Mostafa, M. A., Moawad, M. K. (1966) Cerumen and its micro-chemical analysis. Journal of Laryngology and Otology 80: 933–938.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed