title: [Peripheral facial paralysis in a patient infected with HTLV-1 virus. 2 case reports].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Facial nerve palsy is a frequent situation of varying etiology and the former concept of frozen facial nerves is progressively being abandoned. The HTLV-1 virus, endemic to some tropical areas, is one of the most recent causes discovered.
  
  
  METHODS
  We present two HTLV-1 seropositive patients of Caribbean origin who developed facial palsy and several complications related to this retrovirus.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  When confronted with facial palsy, the presence of risk factors for HTLV-1 infection (particularly when native in high seroprevalence areas) must lead to serological examinations in the search for this retrovirus.
authors.affiliation: Service de médecine interne CHU Fort-de-France BP 632 Martinique 97261. c.deligny@wanadoo.fr
authors.forename: Christophe
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Deligny
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cabre
authors.forename: Corinne
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Thévenot
authors.forename: Fabienne
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Dubreuil
authors.forename: Serge
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Arfi
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005158:Facial Paralysis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008395:Martinique; D008875:Middle Aged; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D015493:Paraparesis, Tropical Spastic / Q000175:diagnosis*