?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Adc&rft.title=A+Comparative+Analysis+of+Bacterial+Growth+with+Earphone+Use&rft.creator=Mukhopadhyay%2C+Chiranjay&rft.creator=Basak%2C+Soham&rft.creator=Gupta%2C+Soham&rft.creator=Chawla%2C+Kiran&rft.creator=Bairy%2C+Indira&rft.subject=Online+Journal+of+Health+and+Allied+Sciences&rft.description=Background%3A+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%2C+headphones+and+stethoscope+ear-pieces%2C+ear+phones+can+easily+be+a+vector+of+potential+pathogens%2C+which+can+give+rise+to+otitis+externa.+Purpose%3A+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%3A+50+voluntary+male+subjects+(age+18-25+years)+were+chosen+and+divided+into+two+groups%2C+A+and+B%2C+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%3A+In+group+A%2C+bacteria+were+found+in+20+(80%25)+ear+and+14+(56%25)+earphone+swabs.+In+group+B%2C+bacteria+were+found+in+23+(92%25)+ear+and+17+(68%25)+earphone+swabs.+Group+B+showed+heavy+growth+and+a+significant+increase+in+the+number+of+bacterial+growths+after+frequent+and+constant+use.+Conclusion%3A+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%2C+always+better+not+to+share+or+else+to+clean+the+earphones+before+sharing&rft.publisher=Dr.+B.S.+Kakkilaya&rft.contributor=Kakkilaya%2C+Dr.+Srinivas&rft.date=2008-07-21&rft.type=Journal+(On-line%2FUnpaginated)&rft.type=PeerReviewed&rft.format=application%2Fpdf&rft.identifier=http%3A%2F%2Fcogprints.org%2F6200%2F1%2F2008-2-4.pdf&rft.identifier=++Mukhopadhyay%2C+Chiranjay+and+Basak%2C+Soham+and+Gupta%2C+Soham+and+Chawla%2C+Kiran+and+Bairy%2C+Indira++(2008)+A+Comparative+Analysis+of+Bacterial+Growth+with+Earphone+Use.++%5BJournal+(On-line%2FUnpaginated)%5D+++++&rft.relation=http%3A%2F%2Fcogprints.org%2F6200%2F