Bacterial and Fungal Growth in Males Wearing Mobile Earphone Appliances

Abstract Background: There is a belief that predisposition to ear canal infection is multifactorial. The use of hearing appliances is an important factor, which is more popular among people than ever before. Vitek 2 is an automated microbial identification system that provides highly accurate and reproducible results. This study aims to identify the bacterial and fungal growths in the ear canals of chronic users of mobile earphones. Patients and Method: This is a comparative cross-sectional study. The participants who fulfilled the inclusion criteria were divided into two groups: Earphones wearers and nonwearers, swabs for bacterial study and fungal study were cultured on proper media. All cultures were transferred into Vitek 2 device to specify the microorganisms. Results: The mean age of the participants was 29 years (29 ± 6.5). Fungal cultures were negative in all the samples. The bacterial growth rate was 100% for Group A participants, but it was only 60% for Group B (statistically significant P = 0.0001). Multiple bacterial growth was reported in 14 participants (46.7%) of Group A, whereas there was no multiple bacterial growth among Group B participants (statistically significant P = 0.0005). Staphylococcus epidermidis was the most prevalent bacteria among participants of both groups. There is a significant difference almost for all types of bacterial growth, suggesting that these bacteria are more prevalent in earphone wearers. The Staphylococcus genus was the most frequently identified, particularly Staphylococcus hominis (46.7%) on earphones. A comparison of bacteria discovered in the ear canals and on the earphones in Group A participants, showed the most common bacteria found in the ear canal was Staphylococcus epidermids (19 participants, 63.3%), whereas S. hominis was the most common bacteria found on the surface of the earphone piece. Staphylococcus auricularis, S. epidermidis, Staphylococcus warneri, Leuconostoc mesenteroides, and Kocuria kristinae show significant differences in their presence between the ear canal and earpiece cultures, whereas S. hominis, Sphingomonas paucimobilis, and Klebsiella pneumonia do not show significant differences in their presence between the two types of cultures. Conclusion: The study concluded that: (1) Earphones harbor nonnegligible amounts and types of bacteria on their surfaces: (2) Earphone wearers have a significantly higher rate of bacterial growth. (3) Multiple bacterial growth was significantly higher in earphone wearers. (4) S. epidermidis was the most prevalent in the ear canal of earphone wearers and nonwearers. (5) Certain bacteria such as L. mesenteroides and Kocuria kristinae were present only in the ear canal of earphone wearers. (6) S. hominis was the most common bacteria on earphones.