Atypical Presentation of Ramsay Hunt Syndrome without Facial Palsy in an Immunocompetent Senegalese Adulte Patient

First described in 1907 by James Ramsay Hunt, Ramsay Hunt syndrome is a recurrence (reactivation) of varicella-zoster virus (VZV) affecting the geniculate ganglion, secondary to a decrease in cell-mediated immunity. The strict definition of Ramsay Hunt syndrome is peripheral facial nerve palsy accompanied by erythematous vesicular rash on the ear. We report a 57-year-old female immunocompetent patient complaining of otalgia, small vesicles on the Ramsey Hunt Zone. She does not complain fever, hearing loss, nausea, vomiting or dizziness. There was no peripheral facial nerve palsy, no reduction of taste sensation, no ataxia or nystagmus, Romberg sign was negative. Our patient targets two of the three criteria needed for the diagnosis of Ramsay Hunt syndrome. She began to take Acyclovir-Steroid (AS) therapy very early with good outcome. This suggests that prompt diagnosis and management improve outcome and prevent occurrence of nerve palsy in Ramsay Hunt syndrome.