[Ramsay Hunt syndrome and current approaches].

Ramsay Hunt syndrome (RHS) is a disease characterized by acute peripheric facial paralysis, vesicular eruptions on the auricular skin and severe ear pain caused by reactivation of latent Varicella zoster virus in the geniculate ganglion. In addition to clinical findings, the diagnosis is confirmed with the presence of viral DNA in the involved tissue and vesicular exudate, as assessed by polymerase chain reaction. Corticosteroids for their anti-inflammatory effects and antiviral agents for their anti-replicative effects on viral load are used as the first-line therapy. However, there is a limited number of studies which proved the efficacy of this treatment.