CASE COMMUNICATIONS
IMAJ | volume 27
Journal 5, May 2025
pages: 314-315
Necrotizing External Otitis in a Neonate Due to Pseudomonas aeruginosa
1 Department of Otolaryngology, Sanz Medical Center–Laniado Hospital, Netanya, Israel
2 Department of Pediatrics, Sanz Medical Center–Laniado Hospital, Netanya, Israel
3 Department of Communication Disorders, Sanz Medical Center–Laniado Hospital, Netanya, Israel
4 Department of Neonatal Intensive Care, Sanz Medical Center–Laniado Hospital, Netanya, Israel
5 Division of Pediatric Otolaryngology, Rady Children’s Hospital, San Diego, CA, USA
Summary
Acute otitis externa (AOE) is typically a bacterial infection of the external auditory canal, which is most commonly caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Although AOE occurs in all age groups, it is rarely observed in children under 2 years of age [1]. Ear drainage in a neonate is a relatively uncommon finding in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) population. This diagnosis requires confirmation by otoscopy [2,3].
Osteomyelitis of the temporal bone, also referred to as necrotizing otitis externa, is a severe form of infection that may develop typically in diabetic or immunocompromised patients, including premature infants. Similar to simple AOE, Pseudomonas aeruginosa is the most common pathogen [4,5]. In the NICU setting it mostly causes infection in immunocompromised hosts such as premature infants [3].