Mycobiome in the Middle Ear Cavity with and Without Otitis Media with Effusion

English (OpenAlex)

Objective: No data have yet been published revealing the composition and the diversity of fungal communities (mycobiome) in the human middle ear cavity. The presented study investigated the mycobiome in the middle ear cavities of individuals with healthy middle ears and patients with otitis media with effusion. Methods: A total of 77 middle ear and four adenoid samples were collected from 47 individuals (35 children and 12 adults) in Group 1 and from 20 children in Group 2. The mycobiome profile was analyzed with nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) based metabarcoding using an Illumina MiSeq metagenomics kit. Results: were remarkably higher in Group 2 compared to Group 1. Conclusion: were significantly more abundant in patients with otitis media with effusion (OME), raising the possibility that they affect the pathogenesis of OME.