Unilateral Peripheral Facial Palsy Associated with Epstein - Barr virus Infection in a Child

Abstract

In pediatric patients, facial nerve palsy (FNP) is uncommon. The most common causes are infections. A 3 year-8 month-old boy presented to our hospital with left FNP and severe lymphadenopathy. When seen for the first time at our hospital, the patient had fever and left FNP, bilateral mandibular lymphadenopathy, left parotid gland enlargement, purulent tonsillopharyngeal exudate, acute otitis media, and splenomegaly. EBV PCR showed 1298 copy/mL. Acyclovir addition to steroid was initiated. Despite all these therapies a marked recovery at FNP was not observed so myringotomy was done and a ventilation tube was inserted. Further intratympanic steroid injection was done. A complete recovery is established in our patient at the 8th week of treatment. Although it is well known that FNP is generally a disease with good prognosis, in the ones due to infectious causes such as EBV, the recovery period may be prolonged despite appropriate medical and surgical treatment.

Keywords

• Infectious mononucleosis; peripheral facial paralysis; treatment

Kaynakça

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