A Rare Cause of Bilateral Facial Palsy

Abstract

HIV infection can cause neurological complications at all stages of the disease. Bilateral facial paralysis is not common in HIV, and more likely to have a systemic cause such as GBS, brain stem encephalitis, sarcoidosis, Lyme disease, syphilis or bacterial meningitis. Although HIV-associated bilateral facial palsy is very rare, it should be included in the differential diagnosis in unexplained cases, particularly in high-risk patients. We report a unique case of bilateral facial nerve palsy as an initial presenting symptom of AIDS, with an updated literature review.