Nematode Otitis: Etiological and Pathological Aspects

Abstract

Field cases of Nematode Otitis were studied to find out more about the suspected causes of the disease as well as do a detailed pathological study of these cases and reproduce the disease experimentally. Nematode Otitis appears to be widespread particularly in the eastern regions of the country though there are some reports of its occurrence in the lake regions. From the pathological study of ear lesions we suggest that the role of the worms is to initially cause loss of top epithelial cover allowing bacteria present to gain entrance to the lower epithelium and sub epithelium where they set up a necrotising inflammatory process the nature of which depends on the type of bacteria present. Subsequent to this development of the lesions, flies attracted to the ears by the smelly exudate  cause further  damage  to  the  ear  leading  to  a  severe  otitis