Sequelae of epidemic meningococcal meningitis in Africa

Abstract

Audiological and other long-term neurological sequelae were determined in 157 cases and their controls matched for age, sex and village 6 to 12 months after an epidemic of group A meningococcal meningitis in rural West Africa. 19 cases (12.1%) and 3 controls (1.9%) had moderate or severe neurological sequelae of any type (P less than 0.001); 6 cases (3.9%) and no controls had severe or profound sensorineural hearing loss (P = 0.03). There was no difference in conductive hearing loss between cases and controls. Other cranial nerve sequelae (except visual defects) and generalized neurological and motor and co-ordination sequelae were also significantly increased in cases. Sensorineural hearing loss and other cranial nerve sequelae occurred significantly more frequently in males than in females, and co-ordination sequelae more frequently in cases aged 10 years or more than in younger cases. Sensorineural hearing loss and loss of visual acuity were found significantly more frequently in cases whose treatment was delayed for 4 d or more, compared with those who received treatment sooner.

Prevalence of Hearing Loss among First Grade School Children in Tirana,Albania – A Repeated Cross-Sectional Survey

“…For example, in USA the total costs of OME, a common cause of hearing loss, amount up to 4$ billion dollars each year [32]. If the hearing problems are left untreated then the costs of hearing impairment could be very high.…”

Achados audiológicos em indivíduos pós-meningite

“…Quanto ao tipo da perda auditiva, observada no presente estudo quanto ao predomínio de perda auditiva neurossensorial, este achado está em concordância com o relatado em outros trabalhos 4,10,18,21 . Nota-se que a perda auditiva é uma importante complicação da meningite, mas o local da lesão não está ainda bem estabelecido, visto que não existe estudo sistemático examinando a relação entre a histopatologia e a função auditiva na meningite bacteriana.…”

“…Porém, perda auditiva de todos os graus (leve à anacusia) foi observada na literatura com menor ocorrência 3,4,10,11,16,18,21 . Nenhum relato na literatura consultada foi encontrado quanto à configuração da curva audiomé-trica, obsevada no presente estudo.…”

“…Porém, uma perda auditiva do tipo neurosensorial 4,10,18,21 de grau severo a profundo mostrase com maior freqüência.…”

Control of meningococcal meningitis outbreaks in sub-Saharan Africa

“…Neurological sequelae including deafness and mental retardation are common, occurring in more than 15% of the survivors [43,44]. …”