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CC BY 4.0 · Int Arch Otorhinolaryngol 2025; 29(03): s00451802578
DOI: 10.1055/s-0045-1802578
Original Research

Mucormycosis and Hearing: A Hospital-Based Study

Monalisa Jati 
1   Department of Ear, Nose, and Throat – Head and Neck Surgery, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Raipur, Raipur, Chhattisgarh, India
,
Ripu Daman Arora 
1   Department of Ear, Nose, and Throat – Head and Neck Surgery, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Raipur, Raipur, Chhattisgarh, India
,
Ruuzeno Koutsu
2   Department of Ear, Nose, and Throat – Head and Neck Surgery, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Guwahati, Guwahati, Assam, India
,
Nitin M. Nagarkar 
3   SRM Medical College Hospital and Research Centre, SRM Nagar, Potheri, Chengalpattu, Tamil Nadu, India
,
Roshan Marandi
4   School of Public Health, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Raipur, Raipur, Chhattisgarh, India
,
Kartik Agrawal
1   Department of Ear, Nose, and Throat – Head and Neck Surgery, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Raipur, Raipur, Chhattisgarh, India
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Funding The authors declare that they did not receive funding from agencies in the public, private or non-profit sectors to conduct the present study.
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Abstract

Introduction Mucormycosis, a fungal infection with severe consequences, gained prominence during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. While significant efforts were made to understand the systemic implications of mucormycosis, its effect on the auditory system remains unexplored.

Objective This study aimed to investigate the auditory implications of mucormycosis through a comprehensive case-control study focusing on hearing loss and middle ear dysfunction.

Methods A total of 30 mucormycosis patients without prior auditory issues, and 30 age and gender-matched controls, underwent comprehensive hearing assessment, including pure-tone and immittance audiometry. Statistical analyses, including descriptive statistics, Mann-Whitney U test, Pearson chi-square test, and multiple logistic regression were performed to analyze the data.

Result Mucormycosis patients exhibited significantly higher auditory thresholds across all frequencies compared to controls (p < 0.05). Approximately half of these patients experienced some degree of hearing loss, predominantly mild. Immittance measurement showed a higher prevalence of abnormal tympanograms in mucormycosis patients, indicating middle ear dysfunction. Acoustic reflex was absent in half of the mucormycosis patients suggesting impaired auditory function.

Conclusion The present study revealed significant auditory health impacts of mucormycosis, finding a notable prevalence of hearing loss and middle ear dysfunction, which emphasizes the need for routine audiological evaluations and increased awareness of mucormycosis-related auditory issues. Despite the study's limitations, we identified potential risk factors for hearing impairment, suggesting a need for further large-scale studies to confirm these findings and understand the mechanisms. These insights aim to improve diagnosis, treatment, and prevention strategies for better clinical outcomes.

Keywords

mucormycosis - hearing loss - auditory system - middle ear dysfunction - pure-tone audiometry - acoustic immittance


Publikationsverlauf

Eingereicht: 19. Oktober 2023

Angenommen: 17. November 2024

Artikel online veröffentlicht:
07. August 2025

© 2025. The Author(s). This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

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Bibliographical Record
Monalisa Jati, Ripu Daman Arora, Ruuzeno Koutsu, Nitin M. Nagarkar, Roshan Marandi, Kartik Agrawal. Mucormycosis and Hearing: A Hospital-Based Study. Int Arch Otorhinolaryngol 2025; 29: s00451802578.
DOI: 10.1055/s-0045-1802578