Chronic mastoiditis and petrositis with viscous otorrhea caused by Achromobacter xylosoxidans: Case report and literature review

Glue otorrhea, or viscous otorrhea, is usually caused by eosinophilic otitis media and otitis media with effusion. However, bacterial infection can also cause viscous otorrhea. In this report, we present a case of chronic mastoiditis and petrositis with viscous otorrhea caused by Achromobacter xylosoxidans infection, and review previous literature regarding temporal bone infections involving this pathogen. In this case, the patient was not immunocompromised, and had bilateral viscous, easily relapsing, and intractable otorrhea. She was treated with long-term medication and a mastoidectomy. Our literature review shows that otitis media, mastoiditis, and petrositis caused by A. xylosoxidans are extremely rare, although viscous or mucinous otorrhea are sometimes caused by this organism. Though it is rare for an ear infection caused by A. xylosoxidans to be identified, such an infection should be treated appropriately, without consideration of the contaminants.