Iatreia · Published 2026-01-01 · DOI 10.17533/udea.iatreia.357
Introduction: Gestational infectious diseases are significant causes of permanent hearing loss in children under 14 years of age. Although vaccination programs have contributed to the reduction of its prevalence, cases of hearing impairment secondary to intrauterine and perinatal infections persist. Objectives: To update and summarize the available evidence on the most frequent gestational infections causing potentially disabling hearing impairments, in particular cytomegalovirus, herpes simplex and rubella. Methods: Systematic search was conducted in PubMed with a publication window between 2021 and 2024. Results: Information was collected on each infectious agent, organized into epidemiology, pathophysiology, clinical characteristics, and screening/detection focused on hearing impairments. Conclusions: Pathophysiologically, these agents are biological teratogens that directly interfere with the organogenesis of the auditory system, capable of generating hearing impairment. It is important to strengthen the training of health professionals and children’s sensory screening.
Abstract from DOAJ. Public domain (CC0 1.0).
Read the article at the publisher →