Bacterial flora of the external canal in diabetics and non-diabetics.

Diabetics are prone to severe Pseudomonas otitis externa, but it is unknown if this is due to abnormal colonization of the external auditory canal. The bacterial and fungal flora of 26 diabetics and 29 age-matched controls was studied and found to be similar. Subjects with diabetes had more cerumen and a past history of more frequent external otitis than non-diabetics. It is concluded that diabetics probably have more frequent and severe external otitis because of undefined abnormal host defense mechanisms and not because of enhanced colonization by pathogens.