Neonatal bacterial meningitis: hearing screening and audiological monitoring outcomes

Area of Science:

• Pediatric audiology
• Neonatal screening
• Infectious disease outcomes

Background:

• Neonatal bacterial meningitis is a significant risk factor for permanent childhood hearing loss (PCHL).
• Current guidelines often recommend ongoing audiological monitoring for infants with meningitis history.
• The efficacy of universal newborn hearing screening (UNHS) in detecting PCHL post-meningitis requires evaluation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess if UNHS is adequate for detecting PCHL in infants recovering from neonatal bacterial meningitis.
• To determine if ongoing hearing monitoring is necessary for children who pass UNHS after meningitis.
• To evaluate the role of UNHS versus diagnostic audiology in this high-risk population.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of a state-wide UNHS database.
• Inclusion of 231 children born in Queensland, Australia (2004-2020) with a history of bacterial meningitis.
• Data extraction focused on UNHS outcomes and subsequent PCHL diagnoses.

Main Results:

• All infants diagnosed with PCHL post-meningitis had initially failed UNHS or were medically excluded.
• No cases of PCHL were detected through targeted surveillance in infants who initially passed UNHS.
• UNHS demonstrated high sensitivity in identifying hearing loss in this cohort.

Conclusions:

• UNHS appears sufficient for identifying PCHL in neonates with a history of bacterial meningitis.
• Routine audiological monitoring may not be required for post-meningitic infants who pass UNHS.
• UNHS can serve as an effective primary screening tool for hearing impairment in this population.