Otolaryngological Manifestations of HIV/AIDS

Audiological and electrophysiological evaluation of children with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)

“…Children with AIDS are susceptible to a number of infections, including upper airway infections, especially sinusitis, external and middle ear otitis [3,4]. External and middle ear otitis may cause temporary peripheral hearing loss; it should be identified and properly treated as soon as possible.…”

“…The most common otologic manifestations of AIDS include external and middle ear otitis, sensorineural hearing loss, conductive hearing loss, mastoiditis, tympanic membrane perforation, colesteatoma and recurrent middle ear otitis with effusion. Hearing loss associated with AIDS, either sensorineural or central, may occur as a direct result of the effects of the virus on the central nervous system, on the peripheral auditory nerve, or as secondary effects to iatrogenic causes after ototoxic drug administration, infections (criptococcus meningitis, toxoplasmosis, viral or bacterial, cytomegalovirus, herpes) and central nervous system neoplasms [3].…”

Communication Disorders in Individuals with HIV/AIDS

“…10,[17][18] Adults with HIV/AIDS may show head, neck and otologic symptoms from opportunistic infections, including otalgia, otorrhea, tinnitus, "muffled" hearing, aural fullness, facial nerve palsy, vertigo and central vestibular, and ocular-motor disturbance. 5, [10][11][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25] Ototoxicity from drugs used to treat adults with HIV/AIDS is the most common iatrogenic source of auditory disorders. Tseng and colleagues 26 found that 17% of HIV/AIDS patients who received azithromycin experienced drug-related hearing problems and three-fourths of these problems resolved after azithromycin was discontinued.…”

“…Whatever the etiology, some middle ear infections in adults with HIV/AIDS, such as chronic otitis media, supporative otitis media, and mastoiditis, are as common as those in adults without HIV/AIDS and often respond to medical treatment as well. 10,22 Conversely, pneumocystis carinii otitis media is an opportunistic infection unique to persons with HIV disease and can cause conductive or mixed hearing losses. 5, 10 Sensorineural hearing loss, which often cannot be treated medically, is more common among adults with than those without HIV/AIDS.…”

Pediatric Human Immunodeficiency Virus And Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome: An Overview

“…The otolaryngological literature is replete with reports of AIDS/HIV-related infections and disorders, including otitis externa, otitis media, conductive and sensorineural hearing loss, mastoiditis' tympanic membrane perforation, and cholesteatoma (Barnett et al, 1992;Chanock & McIntosh, 1989;Church, 1987;Johnson et al, 1989;Kohan et al, 1988;Principi et al, 1991;Sculerati & Borkowsky, 1990;Smith & Canalis, 1989). In a recent review, Gold and Tami (1998) presented an excellent summary of the issues regarding AIDS/HIV infection and otologic manifestations. Currently, there is no evidence that HIVinfected children with otitis media have a higher incidence of complications than the general population has (Morris & Prasad, 1990;Tami & Lee, 1994).…”