We conclude that TLR2 + 2477G/A polymorphism is not associated with meningococcal meningitis risk but contributes an increased risk of pneumococcal meningitis.
In a multigene analysis, combined carriership of the TLR2+2477 wild type (WT) with TLR4+896 mutant alleles increases the risk of hearing loss (p<0.0001, OR 5.7 in BM and p= 0.0001, OR 7.6 in MM).
Our data, in combination with a report by others show that the TLR2-P631H allele could be associated with protection to meningococcal meningitis, suggest that by dominantly inhibiting the response of cells important in the immune response this mutant might confer either protection or susceptibility to meningitis or tuberculosis, respectively.