Apoptosis of the fibrocytes type 1 in the spiral ligament and blood labyrinth barrier disturbance cause hearing impairment in murine cerebral malaria.

Background: Experimental murine malaria has been shown to result in significant hearing impairment. Microscopic evaluation of the temporal bones of these animals has revealed regular morphology of the cochlea duct. Furthermore, the known vascular pathologic changes being associated with malaria could not be found.

Murine cerebral malaria: histopathology and ICAM 1 immunohistochemistry of the inner ear.

Objective: To evaluate the pathophysiologic changes in the inner ear during the course of severe cerebral malaria in an established animal model, C57 BL/6J mice.

Methods: This study aims to examine the hearing threshold, the histological changes and ICAM-1 expression in the murine cochlea.

Results: Four of seven mice showed an expected hearing loss of 20 dB or more.

Murine malaria is associated with significant hearing impairment.

Background: Plasmodium falciparum malaria has been suspected to cause hearing loss. Developmental, cognitive and language disorders have been observed in children, surviving cerebral malaria. This prospective study aims to evaluate whether malaria influences hearing in mice.