Pneumococcal Meningitis Induces Hearing Loss and Cochlear Ossification Modulated by Chemokine Receptors CX3CR1 and CCR2

ConclusionsPneumococcal meningitis can have devastating effects on cochlear structure and function, although not all mice experienced hearing loss or cochlear damage. Meningitis can result in rapid progression of hearing loss with fibrosis starting at four DPI and ossification within 2  weeks of infection detectable by light microscopy. The inflammatory response to bacterial meningitis is robust and can affect all three scalae. Our results suggest that CCR2 may assist in controlling infection and maintaining cochlear patency, as CCR2 knockout mice experienced more severe disease, more rapid hearing loss, and more advanced cochlear ossification after pneumococcal meningitis. CX3CR1 also may play an important role in the maintenance of cochlear patency.
Source: JARO - Journal of the Association for Research in Otolaryngology - Category: ENT & OMF Source Type: research