title: External otitis caused by infection with Pseudomonas aeruginosa or Candida albicans cured by use of a topical group III steroid, without any antibiotics.
abstract: CONCLUSIONS
  Irrespective of the microbial agent, group III steroid solution cured external otitis efficiently in a rat model. The addition of antibiotic components to steroid solutions for the treatment of external otitis is of questionable validity.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  External otitis, caused by infection with either Pseudomonas aeruginosa or Candida albicans, was established in a rat model and the treatment efficacy of a group III steroid solution was studied.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three treatments were studied: (i) a group III steroid solution; (ii) a group I steroid combined with two antibiotic components; and (iii) a saline solution. A scoring scale was used to evaluate the characteristics of the ear canal skin. Bacteriological and fungal samples were collected for culturing and ear canal skin biopsies were taken for structural analyses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  It was possible to cause P. aeruginosa and C. albicans infections in an animal model. In the P. aeruginosa-infected animals, only the group III steroid treatment cured all the animals. In the C. albicans-infected animals, group III steroid treatment resolved external otitis faster than the other treatment modalities.
authors.affiliation: ENT Clinic, Ystad Hospital, Ystad, Sweden. per.emgard@skane.se
authors.forename: Per
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Emgård
authors.forename: Sten
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hellström
authors.forename: Stig
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Holm
mesh_terms: D000287:Administration, Topical; D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001623:Betamethasone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D002177:Candidiasis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D003114:Colony-Forming Units Assay; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004424:Ear Canal / Q000187:drug effects / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D008297:Male; D010032:Otitis Externa / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D010118:Oxytetracycline / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011112:Polymyxin B / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011552:Pseudomonas Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D051381:Rats; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; C021650:hydrocortisone acetate; C011175:betamethasone-17,21-dipropionate; D001623:Betamethasone; D011112:Polymyxin B; D006854:Hydrocortisone; D010118:Oxytetracycline