SLC26A4 and hearing loss disorder: Despite the high genetic heterogeneity of hearing loss, most disease-causing variants are rarely recurrent [32] except those in GJB2 and SLC26A4. Our study showed that disease-causing variants in GJB2 and SLC26A4 were found in exceptionally high numbers, followed by variants in USH2A, MYO15A, MYO1F, and MYO7A. Variants affecting protein function in GJB2 and SLC26A4 were the most common cause of autosomal-recessive NSHL, accounting for 80.42% (184/226) of the genetic basis in all hereditary hearing loss patients.