Acute bilateral total deafness complicating mumps.

While it is well known that mumps is a potential cause of deafness, it is not generally appreciated that it can produce total deafness. The damage is usually unilateral but bilateral disease has been recorded. A case is presented of severe bilateral hearing loss during a mumps epidemic in which, in spite of intensive conventional as well as lesser known therapy, no improvement occurred. In the absence of a successful therapeutic regime it is clearly advisable to intensify immunization in non-developed countries.