OTOMYCOSIS - THE DETECTION OF FUNGI IN EARS BY IMMUNOFLUORESCENCE MICROSCOPY

The procedure currently used to diagnose infection in otitis externa h as several limitations: it is slow to culture organisms on growth medi a, fungal infections are often missed, and extensive laboratory facili ties and mycological expertise are required. A rapid, accurate and sen sitive assay would greatly improve patient care by initiating appropri ate antifungal treatment at the onset of disease. We report the develo pment of a rapid detection assay for otomycosis using fungal-specific monoclonal antibodies to detect fungi in ear swabs by immunofluorescen ce microscopy. This assay could form the basis ofa detection assay for fungal infections of the head and neck.