4 Interesting Facts of Herpes zoster oticus (Ramsay Hunt syndrome)
- Caused by reactivation of varicella-zoster virus in the cutaneous distribution of the auricle and external auditory meatus; can result in facial and vestibulocochlear neuropathy
- Presents similarly to otitis externa with severe otalgia; additional findings include a vesicular rash in the external ear canal, loss of taste on the anterior two-thirds of the tongue, and decreased lacrimation on the involved side
- Patients may present with facial paralysis and vertigo
- Differentiate diseases based on clinical presentation; if diagnosis remains in question, confirm with a positive result on Tzanck test and polymerase chain reaction to detect varicella-zoster virus DNA on skin lesion specimen
