China's hearing screening boosted over half of hearing-impaired students join mainstream education
Through China's universal newborn hearing screening from 2001 to 2020, the percentage of hearing-impaired students in quality mainstream education increased from 24.8% to 57.5%.
image: World Hearing Day Article preveiw
Credit: BGI Genomics
China has focused on Universal Newborn Hearing Screening (UNHS) for hearing loss prevention for over two decades. China CDC Weekly released a report on February 28th showing significant progress. The report indicates that from 2001 to 2020, the percentage of hearing-impaired students in quality mainstream education increased from 24.8% to 57.5%, as the coverage of China’s UNHS program grew from 10.9% to 94.3%.
By 2050, approximately 2.5 billion people worldwide will be affected by hearing loss, as projected by the World Health Organization (WHO), making the implementation of effective hearing screening programs crucial for better prevention. With genetic factors implicated in more than 50% of hearing loss cases, high-throughput sequencing (HTS)-based genetic tests, such as BGI Genomics' Carrier Screening and Newborn Screening, support early detection, thereby improving outcomes for affected children and families.
Genetic Testing Supports Hearing Loss Management
Around 90% of children born with hearing loss come from normal hearing parents, making the condition often undetected at birth. Several genes are implicated in hereditary hearing loss, with the GJB2 and SLC26A4 genes being among the most significant. Mutations in these genes can result in a broad spectrum of auditory impairments and affect vestibular function in certain cases.
Countries such as China are taking the lead in developing comprehensive systems for hereditary deafness prevention. The three-tier prevention network for hereditary deafness in China includes primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention measures.
HTS genetic screening tools can act as primary and secondary prevention. These can be implemented during the pre-conception and prenatal periods. Through BGI Genomics’ VISTA™ Carrier Screening, healthcare providers can assess the genetic risk of couples who may unknowingly carry mutations in hearing loss-associated genes.
As tertiary prevention for newborns, BGI Genomics’ NOVA™ Newborn Hereditary Hearing Loss Screening can facilitate early detection of genetic causes of hearing loss, allowing for prompt intervention and improving the management of the condition.
The WHO also emphasizes the importance of integrating maternal and child care practices with genetic counseling to aid in the prevention of hearing loss. Genetic counseling provides essential guidance to families, helping them understand the risks and options available for managing hereditary hearing loss.
Raising Awareness on World Hearing Day
As the global community observes World Hearing Day on March 3rd, it is essential to raise awareness about the role of expanded carrier screening and newborn screening in preventing and managing hearing loss. The advancements in HTS-based genetic testing provide powerful diagnostic tools that not only enable early detection but also facilitate informed decision-making and proactive management of hearing loss.
By ensuring that individuals undergo genetic screening before or during pregnancy, we can prevent many cases of hereditary hearing loss, thereby providing affected children with the opportunity to grow up with healthy hearing. It is crucial for healthcare providers and the public to recognize the importance of genetic testing as a means to combat preventable hearing loss and improve the lives of children and families worldwide.
About VISTA™ Carrier Screening
The VISTA™ Carrier Screening uses Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) technology to identify individuals or couples at risk of passing on a genetic condition to their child, offering multiple panel options (Mini, Targeted, & 1200+). The latest 1200+ panel product can detect more than 1200 genetic disorders.
NOVA™ Newborn Hereditary Hearing Loss Screening
The NOVA™ Newborn Hereditary Hearing Loss Screening is a neonatal hearing screening strategy combined with genetic test for early detection of hereditary deafness. It identify 20 kinds of hearing -loss-related genetic variant mainly include GJB2, GJB3, SLC26A4, and 12S rRNA gene mutations in mitochondria.
About BGI Genomics
BGI Genomics, headquartered in Shenzhen, China, is the world's leading integrated solutions provider of precision medicine. Our services cover more than 100 countries and regions, involving more than 2,300 medical institutions. In July 2017, as a subsidiary of BGI Group, BGI Genomics (300676.SZ) was officially listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange.