Meningoencefalitis por Herpesvirus Humano 6 (HHV-6) en un niño inmunocompetente de 2 años: Reporte de caso

A clinical case is presented of a 2-year and 5-month-old child who was admitted to the Hospital Regional Lambayeque in Chiclayo, Peru, with an initial diagnosis of status epilepticus, moderate dehydration, secondary epilepsy, and resolving croup. During hospitalization, a presumptive diagnosis of meningoencephalitis was made, which was later confirmed through clinical assessment and molecular detection of Human Herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) in cerebrospinal fluid, using the FilmArray Meningitis/Encephalitis Panel. Although viral encephalitis caused by HHV-6 is typically associated with viral reactivation, in this case, it occurred in an immunocompetent patient, posing a diagnostic challenge in differentiating between the two forms. Early detection and appropriate treatment were crucial for the clinical resolution of this case, highlighting the importance of thorough diagnosis and precise identification of the causative agent to avoid misdiagnosis and improve clinical outcomes.