key: cord-307804-s94mdu3h
authors: Mady, Ossama M.; Elozairy, Hala S.; Wady, Eman M.
title: Increased incidence of otitis externa in covid-19 patients
date: 2020-08-11
journal: Am J Otolaryngol
DOI: 10.1016/j.amjoto.2020.102672
sha: 
doc_id: 307804
cord_uid: s94mdu3h

OBJECTIVE: The current study showed the relation between otitis externa and COVID-19 infection and compared otitis externa with other symptoms of COVID-19 as anosmia. METHODS: 257 cases who were confirmed positive for COVID-19, were examined otoscopic and endoscopic for otitis externa, onset of starting symptoms of otitis externa and its relation to days of infection with COVID-19 were documented and the prevalence of otitis externa with anosmia in the study group were estimated. RESULTS: Increased incidence of otitis externa in COVID-19 patients (18% of study group) and symptoms starting mainly between the 5th to 8th day of COVID-19 infection. Combined otitis externa and anosmia occurred in 13% of study group. CONCLUSIONS: Otitis externa has a relation to COVID-19 infection. Further research needed to study its pathogenesis and mechanisms.

Abstract:

The current study showed the relation between otitis externa and COVID-19 infection and compared otitis externa with other symptoms of COVID-19 as anosmia.

Methods 257 cases who were confirmed positive for COVID-19, were examined otoscopic and endoscopic for otitis externa, onset of starting symptoms of otitis externa and its relation to days of infection with COVID-19 were documented and the prevalence of otitis externa with anosmia in the study group were estimated.

Increased incidence of otitis externa in COVID-19 patients (18% of study group) and symptoms starting mainly between the 5 th to 8 th day of COVID-19 patients with otitis externa were not complaining of anosmia (5% of all study group complaining of otitis externa without anosmia).

The percentage of different complains among study group were illustrated in figure 1. infection.

The pandemic caused by COVID-19 affecting lives of patients and health care providers all over the world, its clinical picture is dynamic with wide spectrum symptoms. The more positive cases we see, the more new symptoms appear.

Olfactory dysfunction and ageusia now become a part of clinical picture of COVID-19, by retrospective studies from Wuhan (origin of outbreak of COVID-19) the incidence of olfactory dysfunction in 3 hospital centers was 5.1% [7] and in a multicenter European study olfactory dysfunction of COVID-19 was 85.6% [8].

According to our results anosmia present in 65% of patients.

To our knowledge this study is the first to show the association between otitis externa and COVID-19 infection. 

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Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19): the epidemic and the challenges

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Olfactory and gustatory dysfunctions as a clinical presentation of mild-to-moderate forms of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19): a multicenter European study

High expression of ACE2 receptor of 2019-nCoV on the epithelial cells of oral mucosa

Tissue distribution of ACE2 protein, the functional receptor for SARS coronavirus. A first step in understanding SARS pathogenesis

The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest regarding the publication of this paper.