"6200","A Comparative Analysis of Bacterial Growth with Earphone Use","Background: Recently the worldwide usage of earphones has increased especially among the school and college students who have a high rate of sharing among them. Alike airline headsets, headphones and stethoscope ear-pieces, ear phones can easily be a vector of potential pathogens, which can give rise to otitis externa. Purpose: To compare the bacterial growth of the external ear in association with earphone and assess the role of earphones as vector or microorganisms. Material and Methods: 50 voluntary male subjects (age 18-25 years) were chosen and divided into two groups, A and B, according to the use of earphones. Swabs were taken from their left ear and the left earpiece of the earphone. Samples were processed as recommended. Results: In group A, bacteria were found in 20 (80%) ear and 14 (56%) earphone swabs. In group B, bacteria were found in 23 (92%) ear and 17 (68%) earphone swabs. Group B showed heavy growth and a significant increase in the number of bacterial growths after frequent and constant use. Conclusion: Frequent and constant use of earphones increases the bacterial growth in the ear and sharing of earphones might be a potential vector of commensals. It is therefore, always better not to share or else to clean the earphones before sharing","http://cogprints.org/6200/","Mukhopadhyay, Chiranjay and Basak, Soham and Gupta, Soham and Chawla, Kiran and Bairy, Indira","Kakkilaya, Dr. Srinivas","       <span class=\"person_name\">Mukhopadhyay, Chiranjay</span> and <span class=\"person_name\">Basak, Soham</span> and <span class=\"person_name\">Gupta, Soham</span> and <span class=\"person_name\">Chawla, Kiran</span> and <span class=\"person_name\">Bairy, Indira</span>     (2008)  <a href=\"http://cogprints.org/6200/\"><em>A Comparative Analysis of Bacterial Growth with Earphone Use.</em></a>       [Journal (On-line/Unpaginated)]           ","chiranjay@yahoo.co.in,,,,","2008-07-21"