Immune Reconstitution Inflammatory Syndrome and Shingles Associated with a Combined Paralysis of Three Oculomotor Nerves: A Case Report

BACKGROUND: In countries with high prevalence of HIV/AIDS infection, particularly in black Africa, shingles is one of the main opportunistic infections during immunosuppression due to AIDS in young patients. If immunological weakness is important, usually when the CD(4) cell count is less than 100 cells/mm(3), the risk of inflammatory reactions in the first three months after initiating of antiretroviral treatment (ART) is very high. This inflammatory reaction is called immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS). This observation reports the first documented case of IRIS with V(1) shingles in a young HIV patient at University Hospital of Brazzaville. CASE DETAILS: A 40 years old patient was seen for a pain of the right side of the face and a complete immobility of the eyeball. The diagnosis of V(1) shingles with a pan uveitis, and a paralysis of III, IV and VI nerves was made. The patiants HIV status was positive and CD(4) cell count was 150 cells/mm(3). After two months of evolution under ART with a CD(4) count of 850 cells /mm(3), the symptomatology was quickly complicated by significant inflammation causing a phtisis bulbi. CONCLUSION: CD(4) cells count is an important indicator in the HIV/AIDS therapy. In some major forms of IRIS, momentary pause of anti retroviral treatment is sometimes necessary.