Bilateral sequential facial palsy during chickenpox.
Facial palsy is a rare neurological complication of chickenpox. A 5-year-old girl exhibited a right facial palsy followed by the appearance of the characteristic chicken pox exanthem. Subsequently she suffered a left facial palsy. In this patient both pathophysiological mechanisms responsible and their relation to the phase of infection are illustrated.


CONCLUSIONS
Facial palsy as a complication of chickenpox can result from pre-eruptive haematogenous or neurogenous spread of varicella-zoster virus.
van der Flier
M
M
Department of Paediatrics, St. Antonius Hospital, Koekoekslaan 1, 3534 CM Nieuwegein, The Netherlands.
van Koppenhagen
C
C
Disch
F J
FJ
Mauser
H W
HW
Bistervels
J H
JH
van Diemen-Steenvoorde
J A
JA
D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D002644:Chickenpox / Q000150:complications*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005158:Facial Paralysis / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D014645:Herpesvirus 3, Human / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans
D000914:Antibodies, Viral