Lateral rectus muscle paralysis induced by ribavirin and pegylated interferon-α2a in a patient with HIV/HCV co-infection.

We report a lateral rectus muscle paralysis occurring 2 weeks after initiation of an interferon-α and ribavirin treatment in a patient with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) virus co-infection. This patient presented with horizontal diplopia that appeared rapidly and without any other neurological symptoms. Symptoms fully resolved with treatment interruption without any ophthalmological sequelae. This side effect is rare and has never been reported in a HIV-HCV co-infected patient.