A report of human herpesvirus 6-associated encephalitis in a solid organ transplant recipient and a review of previously published cases

Abstract

Human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) is a common pathogen among children, classically presenting as fever and rash that resolve without specific therapy (exanthem subitum or roseola infantum). Also identified as a pathogen in hematopoietic cell transplant and solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients, it has been recognized as a cause of limbic encephalitis, characterized by confusion and amnesia, with magnetic resonance imaging findings of T2 hyperintensity of the amygdala and hippocampus. We report a case of limbic encephalitis associated with HHV-6 infection in a liver transplant recipient, and we review previously reported cases of HHV-6 encephalitis in SOT recipients.