Audiological findings in patients with leprosy

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Infectious Diseases
• Audiology

Background:

• Leprosy, caused by Mycobacterium leprae, is a chronic infection impacting skin and nerves.
• The vestibulocochlear nerve can be affected, leading to hearing problems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate leprosy's effects on the vestibulocochlear nerve.
• To assess the impact on auditory function using audiological tests.

Main Methods:

• 15 leprosy patients and 15 controls underwent comprehensive audiological evaluations.
• Tests included pure-tone audiometry, speech audiometry, tympanometry, acoustic reflex testing, otoacoustic emissions (OAE), and brainstem auditory evoked response (BERA).

Main Results:

• Leprosy patients exhibited significantly higher hearing thresholds compared to controls.
• BERA revealed prolonged wave I and III latencies in leprosy patients, suggesting acoustic nerve and superior olivary complex dysfunction.

Conclusions:

• Leprosy may cause auditory dysfunction by damaging the myelin sheath of nervous systems.
• Audiological evaluation is crucial for leprosy patients to detect and manage hearing impairments.