Sensorineural hearing loss: infectious agents.

Twenty-eight children with sensorineural hearing loss resulting from viral (17) or infectious (11) agents were analyzed according to the degree and stability of the loss and the age at identification. Early identification and determination of etiology is enhanced when a viral screen is performed in the nursery, and of questionable value when viral studies are done later. Eighty percent of the the children who sustained a permanent loss as a result of meningitis had severe-profound losses. Serial hearing testing should be done every 6 months for these children who are at risk for progression or fluctuations in their hearing loss.