Ramsay Hunt syndrome--differential diagnosis, pathogenesis and therapy

Ramsay Hunt syndrome is caused by infection of the geniculate ganglion of the seventh cranial nerve by varicella-zoster virus. A case in an 82-year-old woman is described. She presented with oral lesions, right facial palsy and an eruption and pain in her right ear. Oral examination revealed small circumscribed erosions on the right anterior two-thirds of the tongue, with loss of taste. There were also lesions on her right palate. Early diagnosis and treatment are important as immediate treatment is more likely to prevent irreversible complications affecting the facial and other cranial nerves involved.