UK standards for microbiology investigations of ear infection (SMI B1) are inadequate for the recovery of fungal pathogens and laboratory diagnosis of otomycosis: A real-life prospective evaluation.

Our results suggest that the UK SMI B1 media and procedures are inadequate to detect all fungal agents causing otomycosis. Fungal-specific culture protocols increase the recovery rate and diversity of fungal pathogens isolated from external ear samples.