BACKGROUND: Herpes simplex encephalitis is rare. The diagnosis and treatment of such infections are often delayed, and disability rate is high. METHODS: Appropriate laboratory tests, next generation sequencing, and magnetic resonance imaging were used in this study. RESULTS: A 33-year-old healthy male with fever and headache as the predominant clinical features. Neurological manifestations are insidious and delayed. Timely diagnosis of disseminated herpetic encephalitis using brain magnetic resonance imaging and high-throughput genetic testing of cerebrospinal fluid. After treatment with acyclovir, antiviral drugs, and glucocorticoids, the patient's condition improved significantly without significant complications. CONCLUSIONS: Physicians treating patients with fever, headache, and refractory hyponatremia as the main clinical features should be alert to herpes simplex encephalitis.
Li et al. (2026) studied this question.