A rare case of recurrent HHV6 encephalitis in an immunocompetent adult
Human Herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) is a virus known to cause mild infection in children. In adults, HHV-6 reactivation has been described in immunocompromised individuals.Rarely, viral reactivation occurs in immunocompetent adults causing significant disease and morbidity. The use of certain medications, l...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2021-01-01
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| Series: | IDCases |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214250921001517 |
| _version_ | 1818602018645737472 |
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| author | Rania Al-Asmar Ryan Carroll Jamila Ranavaya Noor Mozahem Scott Thiesfeldt Kara Willenburg |
| author_facet | Rania Al-Asmar Ryan Carroll Jamila Ranavaya Noor Mozahem Scott Thiesfeldt Kara Willenburg |
| author_sort | Rania Al-Asmar |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Human Herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) is a virus known to cause mild infection in children. In adults, HHV-6 reactivation has been described in immunocompromised individuals.Rarely, viral reactivation occurs in immunocompetent adults causing significant disease and morbidity. The use of certain medications, like amoxicillin, has been found to induce HHV-6 reaction in a number of cases. We report a 63-year-old immunocompetent female who presented with headache, fever and altered mental status. Past medical history included two bouts of HHV-6 encephalitis treated at external facilities. According to her medical history, both episodes of encephalitis were preceded by amoxicillin use. Her lumbar puncture analysis was consistent with viral etiology and a cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) PCR was positive for HHV-6. She was successfully treated with intravenous ganciclovir. It is important to keep a broad differential diagnosis in mind when approaching encephalitis in adults, and to be aware of unusual triggers for viral reactivation. Clinicians who suspect the infection in the correct clinical setting can successfully treat patients with recurrent HHV-6. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-16T13:00:36Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d5ec39afa8a44e03aa32e4eb502f64f2 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2214-2509 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-16T13:00:36Z |
| publishDate | 2021-01-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | IDCases |
| spelling | doaj.art-d5ec39afa8a44e03aa32e4eb502f64f22022-12-21T22:30:51ZengElsevierIDCases2214-25092021-01-0125e01195A rare case of recurrent HHV6 encephalitis in an immunocompetent adultRania Al-Asmar0Ryan Carroll1Jamila Ranavaya2Noor Mozahem3Scott Thiesfeldt4Kara Willenburg5Marshall University School of Medicine, Internal Medicine Department, United States; Corresponding author.Marshall University School of Medicine, Internal Medicine Department, United StatesMarshall University School of Medicine, Internal Medicine Department, United StatesMarshall University School of Medicine, Internal Medicine Department, United StatesMarshall University School of Medicine, Internal Medicine Department, United StatesMarshall University School of Medicine, Head of Division of Infectious Diseases, Medicine Department, United StatesHuman Herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) is a virus known to cause mild infection in children. In adults, HHV-6 reactivation has been described in immunocompromised individuals.Rarely, viral reactivation occurs in immunocompetent adults causing significant disease and morbidity. The use of certain medications, like amoxicillin, has been found to induce HHV-6 reaction in a number of cases. We report a 63-year-old immunocompetent female who presented with headache, fever and altered mental status. Past medical history included two bouts of HHV-6 encephalitis treated at external facilities. According to her medical history, both episodes of encephalitis were preceded by amoxicillin use. Her lumbar puncture analysis was consistent with viral etiology and a cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) PCR was positive for HHV-6. She was successfully treated with intravenous ganciclovir. It is important to keep a broad differential diagnosis in mind when approaching encephalitis in adults, and to be aware of unusual triggers for viral reactivation. Clinicians who suspect the infection in the correct clinical setting can successfully treat patients with recurrent HHV-6.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214250921001517Human herpes virus 6MeningitisEncephalitisImmunocompetent |
| spellingShingle | Rania Al-Asmar Ryan Carroll Jamila Ranavaya Noor Mozahem Scott Thiesfeldt Kara Willenburg A rare case of recurrent HHV6 encephalitis in an immunocompetent adult IDCases Human herpes virus 6 Meningitis Encephalitis Immunocompetent |
| title | A rare case of recurrent HHV6 encephalitis in an immunocompetent adult |
| title_full | A rare case of recurrent HHV6 encephalitis in an immunocompetent adult |
| title_fullStr | A rare case of recurrent HHV6 encephalitis in an immunocompetent adult |
| title_full_unstemmed | A rare case of recurrent HHV6 encephalitis in an immunocompetent adult |
| title_short | A rare case of recurrent HHV6 encephalitis in an immunocompetent adult |
| title_sort | rare case of recurrent hhv6 encephalitis in an immunocompetent adult |
| topic | Human herpes virus 6 Meningitis Encephalitis Immunocompetent |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214250921001517 |
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