{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,1]],"date-time":"2026-04-01T19:56:40Z","timestamp":1775073400209,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":13,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"2","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,3]],"date-time":"2026-02-03T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1770076800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Viruses"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background and Clinical Significance: Hypoglossal nerve palsy is an uncommon neurological complication of infectious mononucleosis and is only rarely reported. Putative mechanisms include virus-triggered neuritis (Epstein\u2013Barr virus (EBV) or Cytomegalovirus (CMV)) and\/or mechanical compression related to cervical lymphadenopathy. Case Presentation: We report two children with infectious mononucleosis and transient unilateral hypoglossal nerve palsy. Case 1 was a 15-year-old boy with 7 days of fever and typical mononucleosis features who developed leftward tongue deviation accompanied by sialorrhea, dysarthria, and dysphagia. Laboratory testing showed marked hepatocellular injury and EBV-specific IgM positivity. Case 2 was a 9-year-old girl with a 24 h history of bilateral lateral cervical lymphadenopathy with overlying inflammatory signs; examination revealed rightward tongue deviation with similar associated symptoms. CMV-specific IgM antibodies were detected on serological testing. Both patients received systemic corticosteroids and empiric intravenous antibiotics, with supportive care. Hypoglossal nerve function fully recovered within 2\u20134 weeks of treatment initiation. Conclusions: These cases underscore that isolated hypoglossal nerve palsy may complicate EBV- or CMV-associated mononucleosis in children. Although the prognosis is generally favorable, the presentation warrants careful evaluation to exclude alternative causes of lower cranial neuropathies and close follow-up until complete neurological resolution.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/v18020200","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,3]],"date-time":"2026-02-03T12:46:11Z","timestamp":1770122771000},"page":"200","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Unilateral and Reversible Hypoglossal Nerve Palsy in Infectious Mononucleosis Syndromes: Two Rare Cases from Our Clinic"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"18","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-4193-063X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Gheorghi\u021b\u0103","family":"Jugulete","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Dentistry, Department of Infectious Diseases, \u201cCarol Davila\u201d University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 050474 Bucharest, Romania"},{"name":"National Institute for Infectious Diseases \u201cProf. Dr. Matei Bals\u201d, European HIV\/AIDS and Infectious Diseases Academy, No. 1 Dr. Calistrat Grozovici Street, 021105 Bucharest, Romania"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0000-8902-2051","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"M\u0103d\u0103lina Maria","family":"Meri\u0219escu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Dentistry, Department of Infectious Diseases, \u201cCarol Davila\u201d University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 050474 Bucharest, Romania"},{"name":"National Institute for Infectious Diseases \u201cProf. Dr. Matei Bals\u201d, European HIV\/AIDS and Infectious Diseases Academy, No. 1 Dr. Calistrat Grozovici Street, 021105 Bucharest, Romania"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Alexandra","family":"Totoianu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"National Institute for Infectious Diseases \u201cProf. Dr. Matei Bals\u201d, European HIV\/AIDS and Infectious Diseases Academy, No. 1 Dr. Calistrat Grozovici Street, 021105 Bucharest, Romania"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9470-8880","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Mihaela","family":"Oros","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Physiology, Department of Preclinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Titu Maiorescu University, No. 67A, Gheorghe Petra\u0219cu Street, 3rd District, 031593 Bucharest, Romania"},{"name":"Ponderas Academic Hospital, No. 85A, Nicolae G. Caramfil Street, 014142 Bucharest, Romania"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3442-2338","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Mihaela Cristina","family":"Olariu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Dentistry, Department of Infectious Diseases, \u201cCarol Davila\u201d University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 050474 Bucharest, Romania"},{"name":"National Institute for Infectious Diseases \u201cProf. Dr. Matei Bals\u201d, European HIV\/AIDS and Infectious Diseases Academy, No. 1 Dr. Calistrat Grozovici Street, 021105 Bucharest, Romania"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Bianca","family":"Borcos","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Dentistry, Department of Infectious Diseases, \u201cCarol Davila\u201d University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 050474 Bucharest, Romania"},{"name":"National Institute for Infectious Diseases \u201cProf. Dr. Matei Bals\u201d, European HIV\/AIDS and Infectious Diseases Academy, No. 1 Dr. Calistrat Grozovici Street, 021105 Bucharest, Romania"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,3]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1993","DOI":"10.1056\/NEJMcp1001116","article-title":"Infectious mononucleosis","volume":"362","author":"Luzuriaga","year":"2010","journal-title":"N. 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