Human Herpesvirus 6 Associated Encephalitis with Fulminant Brain Edema in a Previously Healthy Child

Human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) is an important cause of roseola and febrile seizures in children. However, it is also a rare cause of encephalitis, most common in immunosuppressed children. We describe a case of HHV-6 encephalitis with fulminant brain edema in a previously healthy child. This severe HHV-6 clinical case with lethal brain edema is the second reported in the literature in a previously healthy child.

Keywords: acute encephalitis; brain edema; children; human herpes virus 6.