Abstract
Ramsay Hunt syndrome (RHS) is a triad of peri-auricular pain, ipsilateral facial nerve palsy and vesicular rash around the ear pinna. It is caused by reactivation of varicella-zoster virus (VZV) that lies dormant in the geniculate ganglia. It can be complicated by VZV encephalitis rarely. We report the case of an 8-year-old previously healthy boy who presented to a tertiary care hospital in Muscat, Oman in 2021 with fever, progressive left ear pain, vesicular rash around his ear pinna and left-sided facial nerve palsy. His course was complicated by VZV encephalitis where he was managed with intravenous (IV) acyclovir and IV corticosteroids. He improved significantly and was asymptomatic with a normal neurology examination at the 6-months follow-up.
Keywords: Varicella-Zoster Virus; Ramsay Hunt Syndrome; Encephalitis; Children; Oman.
Publication Date
2-28-2024
First Page
127
Last Page
130
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
Ahmed, Eman Y.; Rawahi, Hatem Al; Amrani, Fatema Al; Masaoudi, Laila Al; and Yazidi, Laila Al
(2024)
"Ramsay Hunt Syndrome Associated with Varicella-Zoster Virus Encephalitis in a Child,"
Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal: Vol. 24: 127-130.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.18295/squmj.3.2023.020
