Background: Reactivation of human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) occurs frequently in patients after allogeneic stem cell transplantation and is associated with bone-marrow suppression, enteritis, pneumonitis, pericarditis and also encephalitis. After autologous stem cell transplantation or intensive polychemotherapy HHV-6 reactivation is rarely reported.
Case report: This case demonstrates a severe symptomatic HHV-6 infection with encephalitis and pneumonitis after autologous stem cell transplantation of a patient with relapsed Hodgkin's disease.
Conclusion: Careful diagnostic work up in patients with severe complications after autologous stem cell transplantation is mandatory to identify uncommon infections.