External Ear Canal Folliculitis: A Frequently Under-Diagnosed Infectious Disease

Abstract

Complaints of ear pain are very common in primary care practice. Diagnosis may be influenced by preconceived notions of prevalence that are based upon personal experience fund of medical knowledge. External ear canal folliculitis (herein EECF), is a localized skin infection of the external ear canal involving hair follicles, typically caused by Staphylococcus aureus. It is our clinical experience an underappreciated diagnosis and distinct in character from otitis external. Our research is a prospective observational prevalence trial, analyzing 90 visits of adults with earache as the presenting complaint, excluding patients that recently received antibiotics. 45.6% of included cases represented EECF. The results reveal a very simple finding: earache in adult patients derives most frequently from focal inflammation, what we call EECF. Since treatment derives from clinical diagnosis, physicians will be probably more restrained about oral antibiotics if EECF can be appropriately diagnosed.