OTOTOXIC ANTIBIOTICS.

Shortly after the introduction of streptomycin and dihydrostreptomycin in the treatment of tuberculosis, irreversible perceptive hearing losses were noted as a side effect. Although hearing loss became less of a problem when reduced dosage schedules were adopted, the more widespread use of these drugs, often in combinations with other antibiotics, in nontuberculous disease has caused an increase in hearing loss in the last few years. Neomycin and kanamycin share this ototoxic property. Widespread use of these drugs is resulting in loss of hearing in a significant number of cases.