Acute sensorineural hearing loss as atypical presentation of typhoid fever in adult patient

Khaled Al Khodari; Tehniyat Baig; Mohammad Husni Alkhateeb; Muhammad Naeem

doi:10.1177/2050313X20958548

Acute sensorineural hearing loss as atypical presentation of typhoid fever in adult patient

SAGE Open Med Case Rep. 2020 Sep 30:8:2050313X20958548. doi: 10.1177/2050313X20958548. eCollection 2020.

Authors

Khaled Al Khodari¹, Tehniyat Baig², Mohammad Husni Alkhateeb¹, Muhammad Naeem¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Internal Medicine, Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), Doha, Qatar.
² Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Doha, Qatar.

Abstract

Salmonella Typhi is the main cause of an acute febrile, sometimes fatal, multisystemic illness called typhoid fever. The diverse presentations of this disease make it a diagnostic challenge in some patients. Involvement of the neurological system, including cochleovestibular system, is very rare with less than a handful of reported cases. This case report describes the condition of a previously healthy 23-year-old Pakistani man with acute onset of hearing loss associated with fever, headache, and disorientation. The most likely differential diagnoses were bacterial or viral meningoencephalitis, and other bacterial infections, such as Rickettsial and spirochetal diseases. Salmonella Typhi grew on blood culture; thus, treatment with intravenous antibiotics and systemic steroids was provided with excellent response. Hearing loss gradually improved and almost completely resolved within 3 to 4 weeks.

Keywords: Salmonella Typhi; adult; atypical; hearing loss; typhoid fever.

Publication types

Case Reports