Sudden deafness and vaccination.

A 16-year-old female developed sudden unilateral deafness and acute vertigo two days after routine revaccination against tetanus and diphtheria. Eight other cases culled from the literature are reviewed, and the symptoms and findings from the VIIIth cranial nerve discussed. It is postulated that a local hypersensitivity reaction may account for this and some other forms of sudden sensorineural deafness.