Mechanisms of bacterial meningitis-related deafness

Bacterial meningitis is the most common cause of acquired postlingual profound sensorineural hearing loss and labyrinthitis ossificans. This article reviews the underlying mechanisms including bacterial etiology responsible for bacterial meningitis-related hearing loss, time course of hearing impairment, sites of histological damage, routes of infection from meninges to labyrinth, suppurative labyrinthitis and ossification, pathophysiological processes, roles of cytokines, and finally, roles of reactive oxygen species and reactive nitrogen species.

Section editor:Richard Smith – University of Iowa, Iowa City, USA