Clinical investigation of the transient evoked otoacoustic emission test in Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate cochlear damage in Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) infection. Methods: Thirty-two CCHF patients (study group) and 13 healthy people (controls) were included in the study. CCHF patients were also grouped for the presence of fever. CCHF was diagnosed with the presence of CCHF virus-specific IgM antibody or CCHF virus (CCHFV) antigen by ELISA. Cochlear damage was determined by a 'fail' in the transient evoked otoacoustic emission (TEOAE) test. Results: The proportion of TEOAE test 'fail' results in the CCHF patients was significantly higher than in the control group (p < 0.05). We found no increase in the proportion of TEOAE test 'fail' results related to fever in the study group. Conclusions: CCHF disease damages cochlear function regardless of fever. (c) 2007 International Society for Infectious Diseases. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.