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Parry-Romberg syndrome associated with prior mumps infection: a case report

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Background. Parry–Romberg syndrome (PRS), or progressive hemifacial atrophy (PHA), is an uncommon disorder of unclear etiology, characterized by slowly progressive unilateral wasting of craniofacial soft tissues, musculature, bone, and cartilage. This case report presents a distinctive pediatric case of PRS with temporal association to prior paramyxovirus infection (mumps). Case report. An 11-year-old boy presented with right-sided facial hemiatrophy and intraoral changes following a documented mumps infection in 2017. Clinical examination revealed hyperpigmentation, localized alopecia, palatal hemiatrophy, soft-tissue thinning of the tongue and lips, and malocclusion on panoramic radiography. MRI demonstrated multiple T2-hyperintense lesions in the right frontotemporoparietal white matter without diffusion restriction, while skin biopsy showed epidermal atrophy with perivascular lymphocytic infiltrate. Serology confirmed prior mumps exposure, while autoimmune panels were unremarkable. No disease-specific therapy was initiated, and the patient was subsequently lost to follow-up, limiting assessment of long-term progression and treatment response. Conclusion. While the temporal relationship raises the possibility of a post-viral trigger, this single case does not establish causation between mumps infection and PRS. The absence of targeted treatment and lack of longitudinal follow-up represent important limitations. Further studies are needed to elucidate potential viral contributions to PRS pathogenesis and to guide management strategies.

Source: Romanian Medical Journal

DOI: 10.37897/rmj.2025.3.13