Ramsay Hunt syndrome also...

Ramsay Hunt syndrome, also known as herpes zoster oticus or geniculate ganglion herpes zoster, is a late complication of varicella-zoster virus (VZV) infection, resulting in inflammation of the geniculate ganglion of cranial nerve VII.[1] The syndrome is named after James Ramsay Hunt (1872-1937), an American neurologist and Army officer in World War I who described three different syndromes, the most famous of which is the second, which is discussed herein as "Ramsay Hunt syndrome."[2] Early stages of VZV infection cause fever and diffuse vesicular rash, a condition that is commonly referred to as chickenpox. After the initial infection, the virus will often remain dormant in the body. Subsequent reactivation of the virus causes a "zoster" or "herpes zoster" phenomenon. This syndrome consists of pain and a vesicular rash along the involved nerve's distribution, typically corresponding to a single dermatome. The distribution and associated symptoms depend on the nerve involved. Less than 1% of zoster cases involve the facial nerve and result in Ramsay Hunt syndrome.