Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The study goal was to assess vaccine-preventable pediatric postmeningitic sensorineural hearing loss in southern India.
STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: We conducted a prospective pilot study from January through March 2001 in a tertiary pediatric hospital in southern India.
RESULTS: Sixty-five patients were studied. Thirty-five (54%) patients had positive cerebrospinal fluid cultures, with the most common organisms being Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae. An additional 10 (15%) patients were diagnosed with tuberculous meningitis. Of 28 patients who could comply with audiometric evaluations, 8 (28%) had sensorineural hearing loss.
CONCLUSIONS: The etiologic organisms of bacterial meningitis in this study population are similar to those organisms in the developed world, with the minority exception of tuberculous meningitis. Further, a similar prevalence of postmeningitic sensorineural hearing loss occurred.
SIGNIFICANCE: An effective vaccination program against S. pneumoniae and H. influenzae type b should reduce the prevalence of sensorineural hearing loss due to bacterial meningitis in developing countries with similar bacterial profiles. (Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2004;130:339–343.)
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