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[Sudden deafness and increased toxoplasmosis IgM titer]
A Schlottmann1, D Kleemann, K Kranz
1Hals-Nasen-Ohrenklinik und Poliklinik Otto Körner, Medizinischen Fakultät, Universität Rostock.
Insights
Sudden sensorineural hearing loss can be caused by acquired toxoplasmosis (toxoplasma gondii infection). Early diagnosis and treatment are crucial, though hearing loss may not fully recover.
Area of Science:
- Otolaryngology
- Infectious Diseases
- Neurology
Background:
- Congenital toxoplasmosis (toxoplasma gondii infection) can damage the prenatal inner ear.
- Postnatal toxoplasmosis as a cause of inner ear damage is rarely documented.
Background:
Prenatal damage of the inner ear due to infection with toxoplasma gondii is documented. Nevertheless, there are only a few references about postnatal acquired toxoplasmosis as a cause of inner ear damage.
Patients:
We report about a nine-year-old boy who suffered from unilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.
Results:
Examinations did not show any other sign of a possible cause of hearing loss except for a very high toxoplasmosis titer of 1:102400. Besides our usual therapy regime for acute hearing loss, we treated the patient with pyrimethamine and sulphadiazine. Antibody titer decreased but the sensorineural hearing loss did not change substantially. Fortunately the patient lost the tinnitus.
Conclusions:
Acute Toxoplasmosis should be considered in the diagnostic process of sudden hearing loss, at least if there are appropriate clues in the medical history.