Ramsay Hunt Syndrome (Geniculate Zoster): A Rare Complication of Herpes of the Central Nervous System, with a Note on Herpes Simplex

1955 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 41-45 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edward E. Shev
Keyword(s):  
Central Nervous System ◽  
Nervous System ◽  
Herpes Simplex ◽  
Rare Complication ◽  
Ramsay Hunt Syndrome ◽  
Hunt Syndrome ◽  
The Central Nervous System

scholarly journals Ramsay Hunt Syndrome associated with central nervous system involvement in an adult: a case report

2015 ◽  
Vol 42 (S1) ◽  
pp. S29-S30
Author(s):  
L Chan ◽  
A Cartagena ◽  
SM Hosseini ◽  
A Bombassaro
Keyword(s):  
Central Nervous System ◽  
Nervous System ◽  
Case Report ◽  
Varicella Zoster Virus ◽  
External Auditory Canal ◽  
Facial Palsy ◽  
Varicella Zoster ◽  
Ramsay Hunt Syndrome ◽  
Hunt Syndrome ◽  
The Central Nervous System

Background: Ramsay Hunt Syndrome with cerebellar encephalitis is rare in adult. Case Report: We describe a 55-year-old diabetic female who presented with truncal ataxia, right peripheral facial palsy and right ear pain associated with erythematous vesicular lesions in her external auditory canal. Later, she developed dysmetria, fluctuating diplopia and dysarthria. No facial lesions were identified and lesions were limited to the external auditory canal. Cerebral spinal fluid tested positive for varicella zoster virus polymerase chain reaction. She was diagnosed with Ramsay Hunt Syndrome with spread to the central nervous system and treated with acyclovir intravenous therapy (10 mg/kg every 8 hours). Her facial palsy completely resolved within 48 hours of acyclovir treatment, however, vesicular lesions, imbalance and cerebellar symptoms remained; a tapering course of high dose prednisone was then added.Discussion: Prognosis for facial palsy is poor in Ramsay Hunt Syndrome: Only 10% of patients will have complete resolution of their facial palsy. Improvement of facial palsy may be a good marker for response to treatment. Conclusion: Varicella zoster virus reactivation affecting the central nervous system in adults is rare. Knowledge of Ramsay Hunt syndrome with brainstem and/or cerebellar involvement is important for diagnosis and for consideration of antiviral and prednisone treatment.

scholarly journals Ramsay Hunt Syndrome Associated with Central Nervous System Involvement in an Adult

2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 1-4 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tommy L. H. Chan ◽  
Ana M. Cartagena ◽  
Anne Marie Bombassaro ◽  
Seyed M. Hosseini-Moghaddam
Keyword(s):  
Central Nervous System ◽  
Nervous System ◽  
Varicella Zoster Virus ◽  
Facial Palsy ◽  
Central Nervous System Involvement ◽  
Varicella Zoster ◽  
Ramsay Hunt Syndrome ◽  
Hunt Syndrome ◽  
Intravenous Acyclovir ◽  
The Central Nervous System

Ramsay Hunt syndrome associated with varicella zoster virus reactivation affecting the central nervous system is rare. We describe a 55-year-old diabetic female who presented with gait ataxia, right peripheral facial palsy, and painful vesicular lesions involving her right ear. Later, she developed dysmetria, fluctuating diplopia, and dysarthria. Varicella zoster virus was detected in the cerebrospinal fluid by polymerase chain reaction. She was diagnosed with Ramsay Hunt syndrome associated with spread to the central nervous system. Her facial palsy completely resolved within 48 hours of treatment with intravenous acyclovir 10 mg/kg every 8 hours. However, cerebellar symptoms did not improve until a tapering course of steroid therapy was initiated.

scholarly journals The incidence and pathophysiology of neurological symptoms in COVID-19

2021 ◽  
Vol 40 (4) ◽  
pp. 33-42
Author(s):  
Igor V. Litvinenko ◽  
Miroslav M. Odinak ◽  
Nikolay V. Tsygan ◽  
Aleksander V. Ryabtsev
Keyword(s):  
Central Nervous System ◽  
Nervous System ◽  
Rare Complication ◽  
Cranial Nerves ◽  
Neurological Symptoms ◽  
Immune Mediated ◽  
High Incidence ◽  
The Central Nervous System ◽  
Coronavirus Infection

The central nervous system seems to be quite vulnerable to SARS-CoV-2, leading to a variety of alteration pathways, high incidence and variability of the neurological symptoms of COVID-19. The COVID-19 symptoms, possibly associated with alteration to the central nervous system, include hyperthermia, shortness of breath, fatigue, headache, dizziness, dysphonia, dysphagia, hyposmia and anosmia, hypogeusia and ageusia, impairment of consciousness. The impairment of olfaction and gustation are the most common symptoms of the nervous system alteration (98% and 70%, respectively), which is most likely a consequence of the alteration of the receptors. Presumably the pathogenesis of dysphonia and dysphagia may involve neurodegenerative mechanisms or may be associated with a predominantly demyelinating alteration of the caudal cranial nerves. Pathomorphological findings in the brain of the COVID-19 patients include diffuse hypoxic and focal ischemic injuries of various sizes up to ischemic infarctions (in thrombosis of large arteries); microangiopathy; vasculitis; diapedetic and confluent hemorrhages with possible progression to hemorrhagic infarctions and rarely intracerebral hematomas. Acute cerebrovascular accident worsens the course of COVID-19 and can worsen the clinical outcome, taking into account the mechanisms of the central nervous system alteration in highly contagious coronavirus infections (SARS-CoV, MERS, SARS-CoV-2), including embolism, hypoxia, neurodegeneration, systemic inflammatory response and immune-mediated alteartion to the nervous tissue. A fairly rare complication of coronavirus infection, however, acute myelitis requires attention due to the severity of neurological disorders. The literature data show high incidence and polymorphism of the symptoms of the central nervous system alteration, as well as the important role of the cerebrovascular and neurodegenerative pathogenesis of brain alteration in COVID-19, which is taken into account in examining and treating the patients with new coronavirus infection. (1 figure, bibliography: 61 refs)

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