Origins of all hearing impairment forms may be divided into genetic mutations and acquired influence. Both carry damage to the inner ear structure resulting in a mild to profound dysfunction of the auditory system. The purpose of this study was to assess the different etiologies of deafness in two reference centers for hearing-impaired children in Nouakchott/Mauritania. Data on gender, age, consanguinity, etiology and family history of deafness were gathered by interviewing the custodians of 139 children with hearing loss. DNA of pupils with hereditary non-syndromic deafness was then screened for GJB2 mutations by sequencing methods. Postnatal hearing loss was found in 36 (25.8 %) out of the 139 children surveyed. The main etiologies of this group were infections caused by meningitis (12.9 %) and measles (2.8 %). Unknown and ototoxic origins accounted for, respectively, 5.7 and 3.5 %. In 103 (74.1 %) children, deafness was identified near after the time of birth and, therefore, presumed as congenital. 56.8 % of deaf children had consanguineous parents. Two GJB2 mutations, c.del35G with an allele frequency of 4.7 % and R32C (3.7 %) were detected. Infections such as meningitis and measles were the most prevalent causes of postnatal deafness. In cases of congenital hearing impairment, two GJB2 allele variants, i.e., del35G and R32C (3.7 %) were detected. Extended genetic testing is recommended for a more comprehensive determination of congenital causes.

Although recessive mutations in GJB2 are the common genetic etiology of sensorineural hearing impairment (SNHI), variants in LRTOMT gene were also identified, mostly in Middle East and North African populations. Methods: Using Sanger sequencing we screened the exon 7 of LRTOMT in a cohort of 128 unrelated Mauritanian children with congenital deafness. Results: One biallelic missense mutation, predicted as pathogenic (c.179T>C;p.Leu60Pro) was found at homozygous state in four independent families. This variant, not reported before, was predicted to have a deleterious effect by SIFT (score: 0.01) and a disease-causing effect by Mutation Taster (prob: 1). Exploration of the encoded protein 3D structure revealed a disruption of an organized α helix (in the normal protein structure) to a random conformation. Early fitting of a cochlear implant seemed to improve the auditory ability of the patient carrying the biallelic variant. Conclusion: Further screening using a panel of deafness genes should provide a more comprehensive view of the heterogeneity of deafness genes underlying hearing impairment in our population.