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Infectious Diseases in Pediatric Otolaryngology pp 15–28Cite as

Infections of the External Ear

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Abstract

Acute otitis externa, “swimmer’s ear”, is a common infection of childhood and a frequent cause of urgent clinic visits during the summer months. Most children present with ear pain and otorrhea, have an uncomplicated illness, and are effectively managed by their primary care physician. For patients with severe or complicated disease, the experience and knowledge of the otorhinolaryngologist and/or the infectious disease physician is helpful. Herein, we describe the epidemiology, pathogenesis, diagnosis, and management of acute otitis externa, emphasizing the guidelines of the American Academy of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery Foundation and highlighting aspects of care important for the care of children. Furthermore, we discuss several less common infections involving the external ear—necrotizing otitis externa, fungal otitis externa, herpes zoster oticus, and Ramsay-Hunt syndrome. These infections often prove challenging for the specialist and generalist alike. Lastly, we briefly review inflammatory conditions that should be included in the differential of infections of the external ear.

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Abbreviations

AAO-HNSF:

American Academy of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery Foundation

AOE:

Acute otitis externa

EAC:

External auditory canal

NOE:

Necrotizing otitis externa

RHS:

Ramsey-Hunt syndrome

RP:

Relapsing polychondritis

VZV:

Varicella-zoster virus

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatric Otolaryngology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA

    Mary F. Musso D.O.

  2. Texas Children’s Hospital, 6701 Fannin Street, Suite 540, Houston, TX, USA

    Mary F. Musso D.O.

  3. Department of Pediatrics, Section of Infectious Diseases, Baylor College of Medicine, Children’s Hospital of San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA

    Jonathan D. Crews M.D., M.S.

Authors
  1. Mary F. Musso D.O.
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  2. Jonathan D. Crews M.D., M.S.
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jonathan D. Crews M.D., M.S. .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatric Otolaryngology, Connecticut Children’s Medical Center, Hartford, Connecticut, USA

    Tulio Valdez

  2. Department of Pediatrics, Section of Infectious Diseases, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, Texas, USA

    Jesus Vallejo

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Musso, M.F., Crews, J.D. (2016). Infections of the External Ear. In: Valdez, T., Vallejo, J. (eds) Infectious Diseases in Pediatric Otolaryngology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-21744-4_2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-21744-4_2

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

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  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-21744-4

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