Pakistan Journal of Biological Sciences1028-88801812-5735Asian Network for Scientific Information10.3923/pjbs.2010.245.248MehdinejadM. KhosraviA. D.MahmoudabadiA. Z.52010135The aim of this study was to determine the presence and nature
of bacterial flora on hearing aids earmoulds in a childrens population.
The study population consisted of 119 children referred to Imam Ali and Rudaky
Schools in Ahvaz, Iran. Three samples were taken from surface of hearing aids
earmoulds; canal in hearing aid wearers and ear without hearing aids earmoulds.
The samples were cultured directly onto blood agar and MacConkey agar plates.
According to preliminary examination, necessary standard biochemical tests were
performed on grown bacteria and the organisms were identified as per standard
identification criteria. Totally, 66 samples (61.1%) from hearing aids earmoulds
and 124 samples (52.1%) from both ear canal without hearing aids earmoulds were
culture positive, which 73(58.9%) and 51(41.1% ) were from right and left ears,
respectively.The majority of isolated bacteria from earmoulds were Coagulase-Negative
Staphylococci (CNS) 40(60.6%) and Polybacterial flora 14(21.2%) and the least
isolated bacteria were Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus.
In conclusion, although the majority of isolated bacteria were common normal
flora of the ear, however a few pathogens were isolated as well. So, it is very
important to educate the people with hearing aids earmoulds about proper cleaning
and disinfection procedure to prevent any serious ear canal infection.]]>Ahmad, N., C. Etheridge, M. Farrington and D.M. Baguley,2007121110113Bankaitis, A.U.,2002554854Bankaitis, A.U.,20052005Battikhi, M.N. and S.I. Ammar,20042511991203Daneshrad, Dl., J.C. Kim and R.G. Amedee,2002154226228Fireman, P.,199799S787S797Forbes, B.A., D.F. Sahm and A.S. Welssfeld,200712th Edn.,pp: 109-214pp: 109-214Jahn, A.F. and M. Hawke,19921992pp: 2787-2794pp: 2787-2794Kelly, K.E. and D.C. Mohs,199629725739Khairi, M.D., M. Daud, R.M. Noor, N.A. Rahman, D.S. Sidek and A. Mohamad,2010746770Nichols, A.W.,199918395411NCCLS,20022nd Edn.,Nikakhlagh, S., A.D. Khosravi, M. Fazlipour, M. Safarzadeh and N. Rashidi,200885503506Ong, Y.K. and G. Chee,200534330334Powell, S., J. Perry and D. Meikle,2003117122125Sturgulewski, S.K., A.U. Bankaitis, D.A. Klodd and T. Haberkamp,2006594548Vourexakis, Z., M.I. Kos and J.P. Guyot,2010214Anonymous,20032003Charuhas, P.A.,20092009Kemp, R.J. and A.E. Bankaitis, 20002000pp: 257-272pp: 257-272