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International Journal of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology (2008) 72, 453—459<br />

www.elsevier.com/locate/ijporl<br />

REVIEW ARTICLE<br />

<strong>Ototopical</strong> <strong>antifungals</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>otomycosis</strong>: A <strong>review</strong><br />

Raymundo Munguia a , Sam J. Daniel a,b, *<br />

a McGill Auditory Sciences Laboratory, McGill University, Montreal, Qc., Canada H3H1P3<br />

b McGill University, Department of Otolaryngology, Montreal, Qc., Canada H3H1P3<br />

Received 13 September 2007; received in revised form 12 December 2007; accepted 14 December 2007<br />

Available online 14 February 2008<br />

KEYWORDS<br />

Otomycosis;<br />

<strong>Ototopical</strong>;<br />

Antifungals;<br />

Ototoxicity<br />

Summary There has been an increase in the prevalence of <strong>otomycosis</strong> in recent<br />

years. This has been linked to the extensive use of antibiotic eardrops. Treatment of<br />

<strong>otomycosis</strong> is challenging, <strong>and</strong> requires a close follow-up. We present a <strong>review</strong> of the<br />

literature on <strong>otomycosis</strong>, the topical <strong>antifungals</strong> most commonly used, <strong>and</strong> discuss<br />

their ototoxic potential. C<strong>and</strong>ida albicans <strong>and</strong> Aspergillus are the most commonly<br />

identified organisms. Antifungals from the Azole class seem to be the most effective,<br />

followed by Nystatin <strong>and</strong> Tolnaftate.<br />

# 2007 Elsevier Irel<strong>and</strong> Ltd. All rights reserved.<br />

Contents<br />

1. Background . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 453<br />

2. Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 454<br />

2.1. Symptoms <strong>and</strong> predisposing factors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 454<br />

2.2. Causal agents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 454<br />

2.3. Topical treatments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 454<br />

3. Conclusions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 458<br />

Acknowledgements. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 458<br />

References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 458<br />

1. Background<br />

* Corresponding author at: McGill University, Department of<br />

Otolaryngology, 2300 Rue Tupper B-240, Montreal, Qc., Canada<br />

H3H1P3. Tel.: +1 514 412 4304; fax: +1 514 412 4342.<br />

E-mail address: sam.daniel@mcgill.ca (S.J. Daniel).<br />

Otomycosis, also known as fungal otitis externa, has<br />

been used to describe a fungal infection of the<br />

external auditory canal <strong>and</strong> its associated complications,<br />

sometimes involving the middle ear. The prevalence<br />

of <strong>otomycosis</strong> has been reported to be as<br />

low as 9% of cases of otitis externa [1], <strong>and</strong> as high as<br />

30.4% in patients presenting with symptoms of otitis<br />

or inflammatory conditions of the ear [2]. Prevalence<br />

is also related to the geographical area, as<br />

<strong>otomycosis</strong> is most commonly present in tropical <strong>and</strong><br />

subtropical humid climates.<br />

The extensive <strong>and</strong> sometimes unnecessary use of<br />

antibiotic eardrops for the treatment of otitis media<br />

0165-5876/$ — see front matter # 2007 Elsevier Irel<strong>and</strong> Ltd. All rights reserved.<br />

doi:10.1016/j.ijporl.2007.12.005


454 R. Munguia, S.J. Daniel<br />

<strong>and</strong> otitis externa has been linked to the important<br />

increase in the prevalence of <strong>otomycosis</strong>. Secondary<br />

overgrowth of fungi is a well-known <strong>and</strong> recognized<br />

complication of the use of broad-spectrum antibiotics<br />

like quinolones [3].<br />

To date, there are four main classes of drugs for<br />

the treatment of fungal infections: polyenes, triazoles,<br />

nucleoside analogues, <strong>and</strong> echinoc<strong>and</strong>ins.<br />

The polyenes family includes amphotericin B <strong>and</strong><br />

nystatin. The triazoles family, better known as<br />

azoles includes: fluconazole, clotrimazole <strong>and</strong> miconazole.<br />

The mechanism of action of the polyenes<br />

<strong>and</strong> azole families involves an essential chemical<br />

component called ergosterol found in the fungal cell<br />

membrane. The drug binds to ergosterol <strong>and</strong> creates<br />

a polar pore in the fungal membranes. This causes<br />

ions (predominantly K + <strong>and</strong> H + ) <strong>and</strong> other molecules<br />

to leak out of the cell, leading to its death. The<br />

nucleoside analogues such as flucytosine work by<br />

interfering with nucleotide synthesis; a key step in<br />

cell energy production, metabolism, <strong>and</strong> signaling.<br />

Finally, the echinoc<strong>and</strong>ins are a novel class of antifungal<br />

agents. Their mechanism of action involves<br />

interference with cell wall biosynthesis. Their use in<br />

<strong>otomycosis</strong> has not been reported.<br />

2. Methods<br />

We performed a MEDLINE search for <strong>otomycosis</strong>related<br />

articles published between January 1951<br />

<strong>and</strong> March 2007. The resulting set of 576 articles<br />

was then restricted to those using topical <strong>antifungals</strong>.<br />

Electronic search with ‘‘topical antimycotic OR<br />

<strong>otomycosis</strong> OR antifungal drops OR antifungal eardrops’’<br />

identified 96 studies, of which 18 were<br />

considered appropriate for <strong>review</strong>. Selected articles<br />

had to specify the number of patients presenting<br />

with <strong>otomycosis</strong>, the topical medication used, <strong>and</strong><br />

the efficacy of the treatment. Reviewing individual<br />

cited references identified additional studies.<br />

We present in this article a summary of the data<br />

in the literature with regards to the topical treatment<br />

of <strong>otomycosis</strong>, the treatment efficacy, <strong>and</strong> the<br />

risk of ototoxicity.<br />

2.1. Symptoms <strong>and</strong> predisposing factors<br />

The most prominent symptoms present at the time<br />

of diagnosis were: otalgia, otorrhea, hearing loss,<br />

aural fullness, pruritus, <strong>and</strong> tinnitus [1,2,4]. Very<br />

often, fungal external ear infections manifest only<br />

in the presence of predisposing factors. Some identified<br />

culprits include humid climate, presence of<br />

cerumen acting as a support for fungal growth,<br />

configuration of the ear canal, weak immune function,<br />

diabetes, increased use of ototopical antibiotics,<br />

<strong>and</strong> prolonged use of broad-spectrum<br />

antibiotics such as fluoroquinolones. Other factors<br />

that predispose patients to <strong>otomycosis</strong> include:<br />

pregnancy, use of systemic steroids, presence of<br />

open mastoid cavities, hearing aids with occlusive<br />

molds, trauma, <strong>and</strong> bacterial infections. Several<br />

recent articles have also established the potential<br />

risk of autoinoculation of the ear canal by patients<br />

suffering of dermatomycoses [1,5].<br />

2.2. Causal agents<br />

Many species of fungi have been identified as the<br />

cause of <strong>otomycosis</strong> in the literature <strong>review</strong>ed.<br />

These are listed in Table 1 along with the antifungal<br />

agent utilized for each study. Aspergillus niger <strong>and</strong><br />

C<strong>and</strong>ida albicans are the most common causative<br />

agents of <strong>otomycosis</strong>. Aspergillus is considered the<br />

predominant causal organism in tropical <strong>and</strong> subtropical<br />

regions [6]. Aspergillus niger is the most<br />

commonly described agent in the literature [7,8].<br />

Many authors believe that it is important to<br />

identify the causal agent of <strong>otomycosis</strong> in order to<br />

use the appropriate treatment. It is also recommended<br />

that the antimycotic treatment chosen<br />

should be based on the susceptibility of the identified<br />

species [9,10]. However, others believe that the<br />

most important therapeutic strategy is to select a<br />

specific treatment for <strong>otomycosis</strong> based on the<br />

efficacy <strong>and</strong> characteristics of the drug regardless<br />

of the causal agent [11,12].<br />

2.3. Topical treatments<br />

To date there is no FDA approved antifungal otic<br />

preparation for the treatment of <strong>otomycosis</strong>. Many<br />

agents with various antimycotic properties have<br />

been used, <strong>and</strong> clinicians have struggled to identify<br />

the most effective agent to treat this condition.<br />

Antifungal agents typically reach some popularity<br />

for a short period of time, until non-desirable side<br />

effects are identified or until a new medication<br />

appears on the market. However, the use of few<br />

topical <strong>antifungals</strong> has persisted throughout time,<br />

including Nystatin <strong>and</strong> the azoles family. In addition<br />

to topical therapy, the <strong>review</strong>ed literature emphasized<br />

the importance of aural hygiene in the treatment<br />

of <strong>otomycosis</strong>, as intuitively ototopical<br />

medications work best following cleaning of secretions<br />

<strong>and</strong> debris [1,13].<br />

Table 2 summarizes the studies using topical<br />

antifungal agents, the dosage utilized, <strong>and</strong> the<br />

efficacy of treatment.<br />

Azoles are synthetic agents that reduce the concentration<br />

of ergosterol, an essential sterol in the


<strong>Ototopical</strong> <strong>antifungals</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>otomycosis</strong> 455<br />

Table 1 Otomycosis: description of the most common causal agents <strong>and</strong> treatment<br />

Causal agent Treatment Author<br />

Aspergillus (species not specified) Clotrimazole Ologe <strong>and</strong> Nwabuisi [17]<br />

Bassiouny et al. [10]<br />

Ketoconazole Nong et al. [19]<br />

Ho et al. [1]<br />

Itraconazole Nong et al. [19]<br />

Clotrimazole Schrader (2003)<br />

Aspergillus flavus Itraconazole, terbinafide Karaarslan et al. [24]<br />

Aspergillus fumigatus Miconazole Dyckhoff et al. [21]<br />

Amphotericin B Kintzel et al. [26]<br />

Acetic acid Jackman et al. [3]<br />

Clotrimazole Jackman et al. [3]<br />

Martin et al. [13]<br />

Tolnaftate Martin et al. [13]<br />

Aspergillus niger Borneol Chang <strong>and</strong> Li [7]<br />

Tolnaftate Damato [30]<br />

Ciclopiroxolamine, boric acid del Palacio et al. [37]<br />

Itraconazole Hoshino <strong>and</strong> Matsumoto [8]<br />

Mercurochrome Mgbor <strong>and</strong> Gugnani [4]<br />

Mishra et al. [32]<br />

Boric acid Ozcan et al. [5]<br />

Clotrimazole Pradhan et al. [15]<br />

5-Fluorocytosine Than et al. [38]<br />

Itraconazole, terbinafide Karaarslan et al. [24]<br />

Fluconazole Kurnatowski <strong>and</strong> Filipiak [2]<br />

Amphotericin B Ette et al. [27]<br />

Thimerosal Tisner et al. [31]<br />

Aspergillus terreus Lanoconazole Egami et al. [14]<br />

C<strong>and</strong>ida albicans Ketoconazole Cohen <strong>and</strong> Thompson [20]<br />

Ho et al. [1]<br />

Thimerosal Tisner et al. [31]<br />

Amphotericin B Ette et al. [27]<br />

O’Day (2004)<br />

Clotrimazole Jhadav (2003)<br />

Schrader (2003)<br />

Bassiouny et al. [10]<br />

Ologe <strong>and</strong> Nwabuisi [17]<br />

Jackman et al. [3]<br />

Martin et al. [13]<br />

Itraconazole Nong et al. [19]<br />

Fluconazole Kurnatowski <strong>and</strong> Filipiak [2]<br />

Tolnaftate Martin et al. [13]<br />

Acetic acid Jackman et al. [3]<br />

C<strong>and</strong>ida parapsilosis Clotrimazole, tolnaftate Martin et al. [13]<br />

Fluconazole Kurnatowski et al. [2]<br />

Scedosporium apiospermum Clotrimazole Bhally et al. [16]<br />

Scopulariopsis brevicaulis Nystatin Besbes et al. [25]<br />

normal cytoplasmic membrane. They are a class of<br />

five-membered nitrogen heterocyclic ring compounds<br />

containing at least one other noncarbon<br />

atom, nitrogen, sulfur or oxygen [14]. Clotrimazole<br />

is the most widely used topical azole [15,16]. It<br />

appears to be one of the most effective agents<br />

for the management of <strong>otomycosis</strong>, with a reported<br />

rate of effectiveness that varies from 95% to 100% in<br />

most studies [6,10] with the exception of one study<br />

reporting a lower efficacy rate of 50% [3]. Clotrimazole<br />

has an antibacterial effect, <strong>and</strong> this is an<br />

added advantage when treating mixed bacterial—


Table 2 Otomycosis: topical treatment efficacy represented in percentage<br />

Author Study design Antifungal Posology Number of<br />

patients<br />

Jadhav et al. [6] Prospective Clotrimazole 1% solution 4 drops tid 1 month 79 100<br />

Piantoni et al. [23] Prospective Bifonazole 1% solution, once a day 4—15 days 23 100<br />

Nong et al. [19] R<strong>and</strong>omized prospective Miconazole Once a day 2 weeks 110 97.6<br />

Ketoconazole Once a day 2 weeks 97.5<br />

Clotrimazole Once a day 2 weeks 90<br />

Thymol alcohol Three times per day for 2 weeks 80<br />

Ologe <strong>and</strong> Nwabuisi [17] Prospective Clotrimazole 1% cream once a day 2 weeks 141 96<br />

Kley [18] Prospective Clotrimazole 0.25 mg/ml once a day 8—12 days 39 94.8<br />

Tisner et al. [31] Prospective Thimerosal Not reported 152 93.4<br />

Than et al. [38] Prospective 5-Fluorocytosine 10% ointment 7—10 days 189 90<br />

Ho et al. [1] Retrospective Cresylate otic Three times per day 1—3 weeks 51 86<br />

Ketoconazole otic 1—3 cc one application 1 week 48 95<br />

Aluminium acetate otic 0.5% solution 1—3 weeks 18 86<br />

Kurnatowski et al. [2] Prospective Fluconazole 0.2% solution/three times per day 21 days 96 89.4<br />

Mgbor <strong>and</strong> Gugnani [4] R<strong>and</strong>omized prospective Locacorten-vioform 1% solution every other day 7—10 days 23 66.6<br />

Mercurochrome 1% solution every other day 7—10 days 23 95.8<br />

Clotrimazole 1% solution every other day 7—10 days 24 75<br />

del Palacio et al. [37] R<strong>and</strong>omized prospective Cyclopirox olamine 11% cream 1 week 20 80<br />

Cyclopirox olamine 1% solution 1 week 20 95<br />

Boric acid 1 week 40 72.5<br />

Ozcan et al. [5] Prospective Boric acid 4% solution in alcohol 87 77<br />

Cohen <strong>and</strong> Thompson [20] Prospective Ketoconazole Not reported 9 100<br />

Jackman et al. [3] Retrospective Acetic acid otic Not reported 15 40<br />

Clotrimazole 8 50<br />

Nystatin 2 50<br />

Aluminium acetate otic 1 0<br />

Bhally et al. [16] Case report Clotrimazole 0.25 mg/ml 1 100<br />

Mishra et al. [32] Case report Mercurochrome 1% solution 1 100<br />

Dyckhoff et al. [21] Review Miconazole 0.25% solution — —<br />

Bassiouny et al. [10] In vitro Clotrimazole otic 01—4 mg/ml — 100<br />

Econazole 1% solution — 100<br />

Miconazole 0.1—4 mg/ml — 90<br />

Cyclopirox olamine otic Not reported — 57<br />

Egami et al. [14] In vitro Lanoconazole 0.1 mg/ml — 100<br />

Efficacy<br />

(%)<br />

456 R. Munguia, S.J. Daniel


<strong>Ototopical</strong> <strong>antifungals</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>otomycosis</strong> 457<br />

fungal infections. It is considered free of ototoxic<br />

effects [17,18]. There are no reports of clinical<br />

evidence of clotrimazole ototoxicity. Clotrimazole<br />

is available as a powder, a lotion, <strong>and</strong> a solution.<br />

Ketoconazole <strong>and</strong> fluconazole are azole antifungal<br />

agents that have a broad spectrum of activity.<br />

This family of chemical components is effective in<br />

treating the most common etiological agents of<br />

<strong>otomycosis</strong>. Ketoconazole has shown an efficacy<br />

of 95—100% in vitro against Aspergillus species<br />

<strong>and</strong> C<strong>and</strong>ida albicans; it is available as a 2% cream.<br />

[1,19,20]. Topical fluconazole has been reported<br />

effective in 90% of cases in several series. Fluconazole<br />

suspension is available with either 350 mg or<br />

1400 mg of fluconazole. After reconstitution with<br />

24 ml of distilled water or purified water (USP), each<br />

Table 3 Otomycosis treatment <strong>and</strong> risk of ototoxicity<br />

Antifungal Tested for ototoxicity Author<br />

5-fluorocytosine Not tested Than et al. [38]<br />

Acetic acid otic Ototoxic Jackman et al. [3]<br />

Jinn et al. [36]<br />

Aluminium acetate otic Non ototoxic Ho et al. [1]<br />

Jackman et al. [3]<br />

Amphotericin B Not tested Nong et al. [19]<br />

Bifonazole Not tested Piantoni et al. [23]<br />

Boric Acid Ototoxic del Palacio et al. [37]<br />

Ozcan et al. [5]<br />

Clotrimazole Non ototoxic Bhally et al. [16]<br />

Jackman et al. [3]<br />

Tom [29]<br />

Mgbor <strong>and</strong> Gugnani [4]<br />

Ologe <strong>and</strong> Nwabuisi [17]<br />

Bassiouny et al. [10]<br />

Jadhav et al. [6]<br />

Cresylate otic Ototoxic Ho et al. [1]<br />

Cyclopirox olamine 1% otic Not tested Bassiouny et al. [10]<br />

del Palacio et al. [37]<br />

Cyclopirox olamine 11% otic Not tested del Palacio et al. [37]<br />

Econazole Not tested Bassiouny et al. [10]<br />

Fluconazole Non ototoxic Kurnatowski et al. [2]<br />

Nong et al. [19]<br />

Itraconazole Not tested Nong et al. [19]<br />

Ketoconazole Non ototoxic Cohen <strong>and</strong> Thompson [20]<br />

Nong et al. [19]<br />

Ho et al. [1]<br />

Lanoconazole Not tested Egami et al. [14]<br />

Locacorten-vioform Ototoxic Mgbor <strong>and</strong> Gugnani [4]<br />

Mercurochrome 1% Non ototoxic (FDA banned) Mgbor <strong>and</strong> Gugnani [4]<br />

Mishra et al. [32]<br />

Miconazole Non ototoxic Bassiouny et al. [10]<br />

Dyckhoff et al. [21]<br />

Nystatin Not tested Jackman et al. [3]<br />

Gentian Violet Ototoxic Tom [29]<br />

Sp<strong>and</strong>ow [35]<br />

Thimerosal Not tested Tisner et al. [31]<br />

The bolded text refers to drugs that have been classified in the literature as non-ototoxic (safe). The italic text refers to drug that<br />

have been classified as ototoxic (non-safe).


458 R. Munguia, S.J. Daniel<br />

ml of reconstituted suspension contains 10 mg or<br />

40 mg of fluconazole [2,13]. Miconazole cream 2%<br />

has also demonstrated an efficacy rate of 90%<br />

[10,21]. Bifonazole is an antifungal agent that was<br />

commonly used in the 1980s. The antifungal potency<br />

of bifonazole 1% solution has been reported to be<br />

similar to that of clotrimazole <strong>and</strong> miconazole;<br />

however, it varies from species to species. Bifonazole<br />

<strong>and</strong> derivatives inhibited the growth of most<br />

fungi with an efficacy of up to 100% [22,23].<br />

Nystatin is a polyene macrolide antibiotic that<br />

inhibits sterol synthesis in the cytoplasmic membrane<br />

[24]. Many molds <strong>and</strong> yeasts are sensitive to<br />

nystatin, including C<strong>and</strong>ida species. A major advantage<br />

of nystatin is the fact that it is not absorbed<br />

across intact skin. Nystatin is not available as an otic<br />

preparation; however it can be prepared as a solution<br />

or a suspension for the treatment of <strong>otomycosis</strong>.<br />

Nystatin can be administered as a cream, an<br />

ointment, or a powder. Reported efficacy rates vary<br />

from 50% to 80% [3,25].<br />

Amphotericin B is a member of the polyenes<br />

family. It has been replaced by safer agents in most<br />

cases but is still used, despite its side effects, for<br />

life-threatening fungal infections. Nong in 1999<br />

reported that Aspergillus <strong>and</strong> C<strong>and</strong>ida albicans were<br />

sensitive to the use amphotericin B as demonstrated<br />

in antifungal susceptibility tests [19,26,27].<br />

Tolnaftate acts by distorting hyphae <strong>and</strong> inhibiting<br />

the mycelial growth of susceptible fungi that<br />

cause skin infections, including tinea pedis (athlete’s<br />

foot), tinea cruris (jock itch), <strong>and</strong> ringwormit.<br />

It has been recommended in refractory cases of<br />

<strong>otomycosis</strong>, <strong>and</strong> was shown to be non-ototoxic<br />

[28,29]. Tolnaftate is available as a 1% solution that<br />

can be easily instilled into the ear [30].<br />

In recent years, there have been attempts to use<br />

Mercurochrome, a well-known topical antiseptic, to<br />

treat <strong>otomycosis</strong>. Along with merthiolate (thimerosal),<br />

mercurochrome is no longer approved by the<br />

FDA due to the fact that it contains mercury. Tisner<br />

in 1995 reported an efficacy of 93.4% with the use of<br />

thimerosal (merthiolate) for the treatment of <strong>otomycosis</strong><br />

[31]. Mercurochrome has been used specifically<br />

for cases reported in humid environments<br />

with a reported efficacy rate between 95.8% <strong>and</strong><br />

100% [32,4].<br />

Gentian Violet is typically prepared as a weak<br />

(e.g. 1%) solution in water. It has been used since the<br />

1940s to treat <strong>otomycosis</strong> as it is an aniline dye with<br />

antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, <strong>and</strong><br />

antifungal activity. It is still in use in some countries,<br />

<strong>and</strong> is FDA approved. Studies report an efficacy rate<br />

of up to 80%. [20,33—35].<br />

Other available topical medications for the treatment<br />

of <strong>otomycosis</strong> reported in the literature<br />

include cyclopirox olamine, boric acid, <strong>and</strong> 5-fluorocytocine<br />

[36]. Cyclopirox acts by chelating polyvalent<br />

cations (Fe 3+ or Al 3+ ) resulting in inhibition of<br />

the metal-dependent enzymes that are responsible<br />

for the degradation of peroxides within the fungal<br />

cell. Boric acid is a mild acid often used as an<br />

antiseptic, <strong>and</strong> insecticide. Boric acid can be used<br />

to treat yeast <strong>and</strong> fungal infections such as vaginal<br />

yeast infections caused by C<strong>and</strong>ida albicans. Itis<br />

also used to prevent athlete’s foot.<br />

5-Fluorocytocine (also known as flucytosine) acts<br />

penetrating fungal cells <strong>and</strong> is converted to fluorouracil,<br />

which competes with uracil interfering with<br />

fungal RNA <strong>and</strong> protein synthesis [37,5,38]. Table 3<br />

lists the ototoxicity potential for some of the <strong>antifungals</strong>.<br />

3. Conclusions<br />

Many species of fungi have been identified as a cause<br />

of <strong>otomycosis</strong> with Aspergillus niger <strong>and</strong> C<strong>and</strong>ida<br />

albicans being the most common culprits.<br />

Overall <strong>antifungals</strong> from the azoles class such as<br />

clotrimazole, fluconazole, ketoconazole <strong>and</strong> miconazole<br />

are more effective, followed by nystatin <strong>and</strong><br />

tolnaftate.<br />

Our <strong>review</strong> of the literature did not reveal any<br />

case reports of <strong>antifungals</strong> ototopical medication<br />

causing ototoxicity when used to treat <strong>otomycosis</strong><br />

with an intact tympanic membrane. Less data exists<br />

regarding the safety of the use of ototopical medications<br />

in the presence of a tympanic membrane<br />

perforation.<br />

Acknowledgements<br />

The authors wish to thank Ms Françoise Brosseau-<br />

Lapré for her assistance, <strong>and</strong> for editing the manuscript.<br />

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