Hearing alterations following meningitis. 1. Hearing improvement.

In ten patients suffering from hearing loss following meningitis or meningoencephalitis, hearing recovery was observed. Eight of the cases had suffered from purulent meningitis, five cases had Haemophilus influenzae meningitis, 1 had coli meningitis, and 1 had meningococcal meningitis. In one case, the ethiologic agent remained unknown. Two other cases had suffered from viral meningoencephalitis. Postmeningitis hearing loss was observed in 19 ears. In eight ears, the hearing loss was profound, and in eleven, it was slight to moderate. Recovery of hearing occurred in 16 ears and was complete in eight ears and partial in eight ears. Approximately one-fourth of all patients with meningitis hearing loss do recover partially or completely in both ears or only in one ear.