In 2002, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration began investigating reports that showed a possible link between cochlear implants and a higher risk of meningitis, causing a CI manufacturer, MED-EL, to voluntarily take an implant model off the market. This link was confirmed in 2004 by a further study, that showed cochlear implants with a positioner did somehow increase the risk of bacterial meningitis. Cochlear implants without a positioner still carried a higher risk of bacterial meningitis, but not as high as those with positioners. Advanced Bionics had stopped implanting models with positioners after July 2002, and MED-EL voluntarily took their model off the market.
There is now evidence to show an association between severe hearing loss and meningitis, giving parents more to worry about. Severe hearing loss may indicate an onset of meningitis, as the incidence of bacterial meningitis has been shown to be 5 times higher in children with severe hearing loss.
So parents, if your children have hearing loss, do get them vaccinated against meningitis today. The efficacy of the vaccine is between 85-100%, and the duration of the efficacy is approximately between 3 to 5 years.
