Investigation of the hearing loss at acute brucellosis patients with standard and high frequencies audiometry

H. ABSTRACT INVASTIGATION OF THE HEARING LOSS AT ACUTE BRUCELLOSIS PATIENTS WITH STANDARD AND HIGH FREQUENCIES AUDIOMETRY Brucellosis is an infectious disease that may be mortal and tendency to be chronic, occurs as a result of brucella bacterias. Brucellosis is seen commonly in our region, it has different clinical aspects since brucellosis effect multiple organs and systems. There is no study about the relationship between acute brucellosis and auditory system, however a few literature is found with chronic brucellosis. This study is performed on effect of acute brucellosis on the auditory system. This study is performed in Fırat University Fırat Medicine Center Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology Department between 1999-2002. Ninety two cases included into the study who were diagnosed as acute brucellosis. 50 patients excluded from the study after the otoscopic and audiologic examination done subsequently found that their auditory system is effected by a pathology other than brucellosis. The remaining 42 patients are evaluated clinically, serologically and audiologically before and after the treatment. Eleven different frequencies (250-8000 Hz), of the auditory airway hearing threshold averages are calculated and statistical analysis done to all of the patients in the study. The average hearing threshold is obtained over 20 dB with standard audiometry (250-8000 Hz) only through 6000-8000 Hz. All of the other frequencies were under 20 dB. After the treatment average auditory threshold decrease under 20 dB with 6000-8000 Hz (p<0.0001). It has seen that after treatment in all test frequencies the pure tone hearing thresholds are improved and it is statistically significant at all the frequencies except 12000,14000, 16000 Hz (p<0.05).There were no patients that has thresholds more than 20 dB under 30 years age subgroup. However, there were statistically significant differences between the pre-treatment and post-treatment hearing thresholds at 250-10000 Hz, the other frequencies had no statistically significant differences. The subgroup over 30 years age the average hearing threshold were more than 20 dB limit at 6000-8000 Hz. Comparison of the hearing thresholds between pre-treatment and post-treatment at 10000-16000 Hz, there were no statistically significant differences, however the other frequencies showed significant differences. In our study we couldn't observe hearing loss due to acute brucellosis, however hearing thresholds turn to normal levels after treatment when compared with values of pre-treatment. So, acute brucellosis effect the auditory system and it's marked at high frequencies. As a conclusion at all the forms of brucellosis patients should be evaluated for hearing loss, and keep be out that auditory system may effected by this disease at least partly. Key words: Brucellosis, hearing loss, high frequency audiometry