BELLS-PALSY ASSOCIATED WITH HERPES-SIMPLEX GINGIVOSTOMATITIS - A CASE-REPORT

Bell's palsy is a sudden, isolated, peripheral facial paralysis caused by various known and sometimes unknown factors. The case of an 18-yea r-old man who developed Bell's palsy after onset oi primary herpetic g ingivostomatitis is presented. Although Bell's palsy has already been associated with herpes simplex virus type 1, the described case is the first in the literature in which enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays f or immunoglobulin G to herpes simplex virus type 1 and herpes simplex virus type 1 culture were both positive. The recent literature regardi ng the possible relationship between herpes simplex virus type 1 and B ell's palsy is reviewed and discussed.