title: Hearing loss in congenital toxoplasmosis detected by newborn screening.
abstract: Congenital toxoplasmosis may cause sensorineural deficit in up to 20% of the patients and proper treatment in the first year improves prognosis. In Brazil, this infections impact on hearing impairment is unknown.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate hearing of newborns with congenital toxoplasmosis identified by the newborn screening service.
  
  
  METHODS
  This prospective study analyzed children with congenital toxoplasmosis identified by newborn screening (IgM anti-T.gondii) in Belo Horizonte during 2003/2004. The presence of IgM and/or IgA in the first 6 months or IgG at 12 months-of age in serology was used as case definition. Hearing tests were carried out at the time of diagnosis and 12 months later, including behavioral audiometry, evoked otoacoustic emission and brainstem evoked responses audiometry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among 30.808 screened children (97% of live births), 20 had congenital toxoplasmosis, 15 (75%) were asymptomatic at birth. Nineteen children were evaluated by hearing tests. Four had sensorineural impairment (21.1%). One child had other risk factors for hearing impairment; the other three had no other risk factors but toxoplasmosis. Two properly children treated still had hearing loss, in disagreement with current literature.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results suggest that congenital toxoplasmosis, common in Brazil, is a risk factor for hearing impairment and its impact on hearing loss deserves further studies.
authors.affiliation: Depto. Pediatria, FM, UFMG, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Gláucia Manzan Queiroz de
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Andrade
authors.forename: Luciana Macedo de
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Resende
authors.forename: Eugênio Marcos Andrade
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Goulart
authors.forename: Arminda Lucia
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Siqueira
authors.forename: Ricardo Wagner de Almeida
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Vitor
authors.forename: José Nelio
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Januario
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D034381:Hearing Loss / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D006320:Hearing Tests / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D015997:Neonatal Screening / Q000379:methods*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000276:immunology; D014125:Toxoplasmosis, Congenital / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M