Peripheral facial nerve palsy related to HIV infection: relationship with the immunological status and the HIV staging in Central Africa.

Twelve cases of infranuclear facial nerve palsy associated with infection by the human immunodeficiency virus in the heterosexual African are reported with clinical and immunological studies. Eight cases were healthy HIV carriers, three patients manifested AIDS-related complex and one case fulfilled the CDC criteria for AIDS. Nine patients had a typical Bell's palsy, two presented cephalic Herpes zoster infection with Ramsay Hunt syndrome and one, who suffered from progressive facial weakness, could be considered as having a cephalic form of Guillain-Barré syndrome.