The symptoms and signs as well as the bacterial flora from the auditory canals of 54 Tanzanian patients (74 ears) living in Dar es Salaam and suffering from otitis externa were studied. Itching and pain were the most common symptoms and erythema and secretion were the prevalent clinical findings. Pseudomonas aeruginosa was found in 38%, Aspergillus in 24%, Staphylococcus aureus in 18% and Candida albicans in 14%. Bacterial cultures from the auditory canals of 21 healthy subjects revealed only normal skin flora.