Lower Motor Neuron Facial Palsy Following COVID-19 Infection and COVID-19 AZD1222 Vaxzervria (AstraZeneca) Vaccine Administration: Two Case Reports

Khabab Abbasher Hussien Mohamed Ahmed,1 Amira Siddig,2 AlHussien Abbashar,3 Mohammed Abbasher,4 Abubaker Alsedig Abbasher,5 Abbasher Hussien,6 Gaffar Alemam A Manhal1 1Faculty of Medicine, University of Khartoum, Khartoum, Sudan; 2Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, AlNeelain University, Khartoum, Sudan; 3AlYarmouk College, Khartoum, Sudan; 4Faculty of Medicine, AlNeelain University, Khartoum, Sudan; 5Zamzam University College, Khartoum, Sudan; 6Department of Internal Medicine and Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Khartoum, Khartoum, SudanCorrespondence: Khabab Abbasher Hussien Mohamed Ahmed, Faculty of Medicine, University of Khartoum, Khartoum, 11111, Sudan, Tel +249907712134, Email khabab9722@gmail.comAbstract: Bell’s palsy is a lower motor neuron lesion rarely associated with COVID-19 infection or vaccinations. We documented two cases of Bell’s palsy in this report, one after contracting COVID-19 infection and the other after administration of AZD1222 Vaxzervria (AstraZeneca) Vaccine. After excluding all possible causes of Bell’s palsy in both cases, we determined that COVID-19 infection and the AZD1222 Vaxzervria (AstraZeneca) vaccine were the causes. Thus, we believe COVID-19 and the AZD1222 Vaxzervria (AstraZeneca) vaccine should be considered as causes of Bell’s palsy.Keywords: COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2 virus, Bell’s palsy, AZD1222 Vaxzervria (AstraZeneca) vaccine, Sudan