Interferon anti-viral system in Bell's palsy

Area of Science:

• Virology
• Neurology
• Immunology

Background:

• Bell's palsy is a sudden onset of facial paralysis.
• The exact cause of Bell's palsy remains unclear.
• Viral infections are suspected but not definitively proven etiologies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the role of viral infection in Bell's palsy.
• To assess serum interferon (IFN) levels and anti-viral state (AVS) in Bell's palsy patients.
• To explore potential viral agents implicated in the disease.

Main Methods:

• Clinical and virological examination of 32 Bell's palsy patients.
• Assay of serum IFN levels at disease onset and during the course.
• Evaluation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) for AVS in a subset of patients.

Main Results:

• 72% of patients exhibited elevated serum IFN levels or an AVS.
• Mean serum IFN levels were significantly higher (95 U/ml) in the first 3 days.
• No increased antibody titers to herpes simplex or varicella-zoster viruses were detected.

Conclusions:

• Elevated IFN levels and AVS in blood cells are consistent with acute viral infection.
• The findings strongly suggest an acute viral etiology for Bell's palsy.
• The causative virus may be unidentified, unusual, or a reactivated latent virus.