Oral vaccine in otosclerosis

Otosclerosis is a genetically based disease in which the development of aut oimmune mechanisms can lead to its clinical expression. Anti-type II collag en antibodies have been found in otosclerotic patient serum. The first clin ically unexpressive phase of the disease can be diagnosed from a family his tory and ON-OFF stapedial reflexes with evidence of an autoimmune disorder. The use of antigenic oral hyposensitization is accepted, based on autoimmu ne pathogenesis. Hyposensitization should be initiated during this subclini cal period of otosclerosis with a type II collagen oral vaccine. (C) 2000 H arcourt Publishers Ltd.