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Congenital hearing loss in venereal disease

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Abstract

A total of 367 cases of deafness from various Deaf schools were studied to detect Congenital Venereal Disease. A complete General medical, Otorhinolaryngological and Venereological examination was done followed by blood VDRL analysis and audiological assessment. Out of 367 cases, 112 cases had definite family history of deafness, 6 gave history of consanguinity and 7 cases had CSOM in either one or both ears.

A majority of cases had hearing loss of more than 90 dB at speech frequencies in both ears and only in a small percentage the hearing threshold was 60dB. Of the 367 blood samples tested only one (a female child aged 11 years and whose audiogram showed a flat response of 100 dB in both ears) had a weak reaction at zero dilution to the VDRL test. Congenital syphilis is insignificant as a causative factor of deafness among our children, in contrast with other studies.

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This paper was read at the 7th Annual Conference of the Indian Speech and Hearing Association, Manipal, January, 1975.

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Kameswaran, S., Rajenderkumar, P.V., Jacob, K.T. et al. Congenital hearing loss in venereal disease. Indian J Otolaryngol 28, 98–99 (1976). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02990972

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02990972

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