SUDDEN DEAFNESS - LACK OF EVIDENCE FOR SYSTEMIC VIRAL-INFECTION

The cause of sudden deafness remains unknown even though available evi dence suggests that viral infection could be one factor involved. The presence of an interferon-inducible protein termed MxA in patients' le ukocytes is a good marker of a systemic viral infection. This study in cluded 20 patients with sudden deafness and 12 control subjects. Perip heral blood leukocytes obtained from the patients with sudden deafness did not express significantly higher levels of interferon-alpha/beta- inducible MxA protei? than control subjects. In addition, no measurabl e interferon-alpha activity was detected in any of the serum specimens . These findings suggest that sudden deafness is not commonly associat ed with a systemic viral infection.