Zoster sine herpete-Facial paralysis without herpes caused by herpes zoster virus
ZHAO Kun
LI Jiandong
ZHAO Liang
YU Chungang
LI Yang
WANG Jie
Abstract：Zoster sine herpete (ZSH) facial palsy is caused by the varicella-zoster virus (VZV), similar to Ramsay Hunt syndrome. Latent VZV infection is reactivated in the geniculate ganglion, causing acute peripheral facial palsy, severe pain in the ear, tongue, pharynx and other regions of head and neck. Vertigo and hearing loss can be part of the process. However, facial palsies caused by VZV are not always accompanied by vesicular eruption, and these cases are referred to as zoster sine herpete (ZSH). Distinguishing ZSH from Bell palsy is difficult, and ZSH is often clinically diagnosed as Bell pal-sy. However, the etiology, pathogenesis, treatment and prognosis are quite different. So facial palsy in ZSH is often misdiag-nosed and adequate treatment delayed, leading to poor prognosis. In this paper, we elaborate on the clinical features, patho-genesis, diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of ZSH associated facial palsy, in order to bring it to the attention of Otorhinolar-yngologist.
Keywords：Zoster sine herpeteBell ’s PalsyRamsay Hunt syndrome
Publication Date：2016-01-01
Online Publishing Date：2025-08-15(First online date of this platform, not the publication date of the document)
Pages：4( 291-294 )