Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40247196›Full record

SynthesisBMC infectious diseases2025

Otomycosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis of prevalence and causative agents in the era of molecular diagnostics.

Tina Nazari, Fatemeh Peymaeei, Romina Ghazi Mirsaid, Reihaneh Seiad Ahmadnezhad, Arsalan Bateni Shalmani, Shahram Mahmoudi

Abstract readSystematic ReviewMeta-Analysis
In one paragraph

Synthesis in BMC infectious diseases, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
8citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

8 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Silver nitrate versus clotrimazole for otomycosis: methodological considerations and a TCM perspective.European archives of oto-rhino-laryngology : official journal of the European Federation of Oto-Rhino-Laryngological Societies (EUFOS) : affiliated with the German Society for Oto-Rhino-Laryngology - Head and Neck Surgery · 2026
    Article
  2. Article
  3. The effect of silver nitrate versus clotrimazole in treatment of otomycosis.European archives of oto-rhino-laryngology : official journal of the European Federation of Oto-Rhino-Laryngological Societies (EUFOS) : affiliated with the German Society for Oto-Rhino-Laryngology - Head and Neck Surgery · 2026
    Article
  4. Article
  5. Correlation between MIC of econazole nitrate and clinical response in otomycosis.Frontiers in cellular and infection microbiology · 2026
    Article
  6. Article
  7. Prevalence and Resistance Profiles ofAntibiotics (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025
    Review
  8. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Tina NazariDepartment of Medical Geriatrics, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Fatemeh PeymaeeiDepartment of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Romina Ghazi MirsaidDepartment of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Reihaneh Seiad AhmadnezhadDepartment of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Arsalan Bateni ShalmaniDepartment of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Shahram MahmoudiDepartment of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. sh.mahmoudi93@gmail.com.

Funding

Iran University of Medical Sciences 24860
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundMolecular identification of fungal agents in otomycosis can provide a more accurate diagnosis and differentiation of species compared to conventional morphological methods. Previous reviews mostly relied on studies using conventional methods to explore the prevalence and distribution of otomycosis etiologies. We aim to estimate the prevalence and distribution of causative agents in otomycosis cases confirmed with molecular methods.

methodsWe conducted a systematic search of PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar. We selected cross-sectional studies that reported causative agents of otomycosis and used molecular methods for identification of fungi. We appraised the quality of evidence using the JBI Checklist for Prevalence Studies. Clinical and mycological data were collected, and prevalence of otomycosis was estimated by meta-analysis.

resultsTwenty studies reporting 1392 fungal isolates, consisting of 46 species from 11 distinct genera, were included in this review. The prevalence of otomycosis among clinically-suspected patients was 58.3% (95% CI: 41.4-73.5%). Aspergillus (75.8%, 95% CI: 70.3-80.6%) and Candida (15.3%, 95% CI: 8.7- 25.6%) were the most common etiologies. The most frequent Aspergillus species were A. niger (n = 352, 30.9%) and A. tubingensis (n = 270, 23.7%), and the most frequent Candida species were C. parapsilosis (n = 85, 39.7%) and C. albicans (n = 66, 30.8%). The quality of evidence was assessed to be poor in all included studies.

conclusionsOtomycosis is caused by a diverse set of species, predominantly from Aspergillus and Candida genera. Molecular identification techniques provide a more accurate understanding of the distribution of species associated with otomycosis. CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER: Not applicable.

Indexed as

FungiOtomycosisAspergillusCandidaCross-Sectional StudiesHumansMolecular Diagnostic TechniquesPrevalenceAspergillusCandidaFungal otitis externaMolecular identificationOtomycosisPrevalence

Identifiers

PMID40247196
PMCPMC12004859

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.