Congenital hearing loss and rubella infection

In an examination of Danish children aged 0 to 4 years, with congenital sensorineural hearing loss, 60% (39/65) had rubella antibody, compared with only 23% (17/72) in an age-matched control group. Based upon these results and similar investigations reported in the literature, it is concluded that serological testing for rubella antibody has proved to be of major importance in the evaluation of etiological factors of congenital hearing loss. Although diagnostic conclusions cannot be drawn on the basis of serological testing per se in the individual child, it is important to estimate the incidence of fetal rubella infection as the cause of congenital hearing loss, since this type of hearing loss may be prevented by active immunization.