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[Peripheral facial paralysis in a patient infected with HTLV-1 virus. 2 case reports]
Christophe Deligny1, Philippe Cabre, Corinne Thévenot
1Service de médecine interne CHU Fort-de-France BP 632 Martinique 97261. c.deligny@wanadoo.fr
Introduction:
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.
Observations:
We present two HTLV-1 seropositive patients of Caribbean origin who developed facial palsy and several complications related to this retrovirus.
Comments:
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.