title: Otoacariasis: demographic and clinical outcomes of patients with ticks in the ear canal.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Otoacariasis, the attachment of ticks and mites within the ear canal is a common phenomenon especially in rural areas.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the clinical and demographic features of cases with detected ticks in the ear canal, which is a common health problem, and identify tick species.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data of patients who had otoacariasis were collected. We also investigated all ticks at the Veterinary Department of Kafkas University.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We present the data of patients with otoacariasis. All ticks were identified as otobius. Otobius ticks were found not related with any complications.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is very important to detect ticks in the ear canal as they act as vector of some diseases. Identifying species of ticks may help clinicians to prevent further complications associated with vector-borne diseases.
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Ear Nose Throat, Memorial Hospital, Ankara, Turkey. Electronic address: ozangokdogan@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Ozan
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Gökdoğan
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Ear Nose Throat, Kanuni Sultan Suleyman Research and Teaching Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Taliye
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Çakabay
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Ear Nose Throat, Medical Park Hospital, Bursa, Turkey.
authors.forename: Hacer
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Baran
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Ear Nose Throat, Umraniye Research and Teaching Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Burak
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Karabulut
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Ardahan State Hospital, Ardahan, Turkey.
authors.forename: Cihan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tasdemir
authors.affiliation: Kafkas University, Veterinary Department, Kars, Turkey.
authors.forename: Zati
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Vatansever
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D026862:Argasidae; D004424:Ear Canal / Q000469:parasitology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013984:Tick Infestations / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Carrapato; Otoacariasis; Otoacaríase; Otobius; Thick