Int J Infect Dis . Could Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss Be the Sole Manifestation of COVID-19? An Investigation Into SARS-COV-2 in the Etiology of Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss

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Int J Infect Dis


. 2020 Jun 11;S1201-9712(20)30458-6.
doi: 10.1016/j.ijid.2020.06.023. Online ahead of print.
Could Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss Be the Sole Manifestation of COVID-19? An Investigation Into SARS-COV-2 in the Etiology of Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss


Osman Kılıc ¹ , Mahmut Tayyar Kalcıoglu ² , Yasemin Cag ³ , Ozan Tuysuz ¹ , Emel Pektas ⁴ , Hulya Caskurlu ³ , Ferihan Cetın ⁵



Affiliations

• PMID: 32535294
• PMCID: PMC7289736
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijid.2020.06.023

Free PMC article

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study is to investigate the presence of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in patients presenting with only sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) during the pandemic.
Methods: The study included 5 male patients who presented with the sole complaint of unilateral SSNHL to the otolaryngology outpatient clinic between April 3 and April 12, 2020. The patients were referred to the infectious diseases clinic to be evaluated for SARS-CoV-2 by using real time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) testing.
Results: RT-PCR testing for SARS-CoV-2 were positive in one of the patient and negative in rest four patients. We also noted positive response to Coronavirus Disease-19 (COVID-19) specific treatment in SARS-CoV-2 positive SSNHL patient.
Conclusion: It should be kept in mind that non-specific symptoms such as SSNHL could be the only sign to recognize a COVID-19 case. Awareness of such a non-specific presentation of COVID-19 patients is crucial during this pandemic period for the prevention of infectious spread through isolation and early initiation of COVID-19 targeted treatment.

Keywords: COVID-19; Pandemic; Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2; Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss.