Aetiology of childhood hearing loss in Cameroon (sub-Saharan Africa) |
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| Authors: | Ambroise Wonkam Jean Jacques N. Noubiap François Djomou Karen Fieggen Richard Njock Geneviève Bengono Toure |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Division of Human Genetics, Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, South Africa;2. Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, Cameroon;1. ExpORL, Department Neurosciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium;2. Institute of Allied Health Sciences, Fontys University of Applied Sciences, Eindhoven, The Netherlands;3. Independent Information Center on Cochlear Implants (ONICI), Zonhoven, Belgium;4. Department of Deaf Children in KIDS, Hasselt, Belgium;5. ENT Department, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands;1. Department of Otolaryngology–Head & Neck Surgery, Geisinger Medical Center, Danville, PA, USA;2. University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA;3. Division of Audiology, Cincinnati Children''s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA;4. Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA;5. Department of Pediatric Otolaryngology, Cincinnati Children''s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA;1. Department of Communication Pathology, University of Pretoria, South Africa;2. Ear Sciences Centre, School of Surgery, The University of Western Australia, Nedlands, Australia;3. Ear Science Institute Australia, Subiaco, Australia;1. Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland;2. Medical Research Center, Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland;3. Institute of Clinical Medicine, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland;4. Medical Informatics and Statistics Research Group, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland;5. Institute of Clinical Medicine, Department of Neurology, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland;6. Department of Neurology, Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland;1. Division of Otolaryngology, Chiba Children''s Hospital, 579-1, Hetacho Midori-ku, Chiba City, Chiba, Japan;2. Department of Otolaryngology, Japanese Red Cross Narita Hospital, 90-1, Iida Town, Narita City, Chiba, Japan;3. Division of Hearing and Balance Research, National Institute of Sensory Organs, National Hospital Organization Tokyo Medical Center, 2-5-1 Higashigaoka, Meguro, Tokyo 152?8902, Japan;1. Cancer Research Center, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, Iran;2. Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran;3. Department of Medical Physics, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran;4. Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Advanced Technologies, Shahrekord of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, Iran;5. Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Basic Health Sciences Institute, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, Iran |
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| Abstract: | BackgroundSevere hearing loss is a global problem affecting particularly developing countries. There is scarcity of recent published data on the epidemiology of childhood deafness in sub-Saharan Africa.ObjectiveTo determine the etiological profile of severe childhood deafness in Cameroon.MethodsProspective cross-sectional study of patients with a severe hearing loss that started before the age of 15 years. Detailed family and medical history was obtained; careful clinical, otological and audiological examinations were performed.ResultsA total of 582 patients with a severe hearing loss were examined. Prelingual deafness accounted for 75.1% (n = 437), with a mean age at medical diagnosis of 3.3 ± 1.2 years. This late presentation may be explained by limited parental awareness of signs raising suspicion of hearing loss, poor access to health care and the absence of neonatal screening for hearing loss in Cameroon. Identified genetic causes accounted for 14.8% (n = 86), putative environmental causes for 52.6% (n = 306) and unknown causes for 32.6% (n = 190). Amongst Genetic causes, the syndromic hearing loss accounted for 13.1% (n = 12) of cases, the rest being non syndromic (n = 74). Consanguineous families accounted for 5.7% (n = 33) of the whole sample, and 15.1% (n = 13) of genetic cases. No union between deaf parents was observed.ConclusionThese data highlight the possible predominance of putative environmental causes of childhood deafness in Cameroon, and emphasize the need for improved policies for prevention of infectious diseases and for neonatal hearing screening. However, further molecular analyses and targeted CT scan investigations are required to more accurately gauge the contribution of genetics etiologies. |
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