Your patient recently had a viral infection and now she cannot move the muscles on the right side of her face. In addition, she is experiencing a loss of taste and dry mouth and she cannot close her right eye. Which cranial nerves have been affected by the viral infection?
Based on the patient's situation, the cranial nerve affected by the viral infection is the facial nerve (CN VII). This nerve is responsible for taste, facial expressions, and saliva secretions which aligns all the symptoms of the patient. Based on prior knowledge, the viral infection is most likely to be Bell’s palsy.