A case of adult meningitis with bilateral sensorineural hearing loss at the onset

Here we report a case of pneumococcal meningitis with bilateral sensorineural hearing loss at the onset. The patient was a 60-year-old man who a few days before visiting our hospital experienced common cold-like symptoms, and then he suddenly developed bilateral hearing loss. Examination of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) on the day of admission revealed pleocytosis and his CSF culture demonstrated pneumococci. Otorhinolaryngological examinations disclosed bilateral severe sensorineural hearing loss due to cochlear impairment. Many cases of bacterial meningitis concomitant with hearing loss have been reported, but a case of meningitis starting with sudden hearing loss is rare.