Is hearing loss a reason to receive meningitis vaccines?
Currently, there are no special immunization recommendations for persons with hearing loss unless they have (or are planning to receive) a cochlear implant or have other risks factors for meningitis. Persons with hearing loss should receive the vaccines that are recommended for persons without hearing loss, based on age and other health conditions. However, certain people with hearing loss may have a higher risk of meningitis than people without hearing loss. This higher risk may occur even if they do not have a cochlear implant. For example, some people with hearing loss were made deaf by a past case of meningitis, and these people may be especially prone to meningitis. Also, some persons with hearing loss may be more likely to get meningitis because part of the inner ear is not formed correctly. Persons with hearing loss who are known to have an ear condition that puts them at risk for meningitis should get the pneumococcal vaccines for high risk groups. People with hearing loss shou
The recent cochlear implant and meningitis investigation showed that children with cochlear implants were more likely to get bacterial meningitis than children in the general population. More research is needed to better understand if persons with hearing loss without cochlear implants are at greater risk for meningitis. CDC is working with a Danish university to study this issue further. Currently, hearing loss alone is not a reason to receive meningitis vaccination. There are no special recommendations for vaccinating people with hearing loss. Persons with hearing loss should receive the vaccines that are recommended for persons without hearing loss, based on age and other health conditions. Limited evidence does indicate that some persons with hearing loss may be at higher risk for developing bacterial meningitis than the general public, even if they do not have a cochlear implant. Some people with hearing loss have been made deaf by meningitis, and some people who have had meningit
