Hemiconvulsion–hemiplegia syndrome and primary human herpesvirus 7 infection

We report a case of hemiconvulsion–hemiplegia (HH) syndrome. An 18-month-old female infant had a hemiconvulsion followed by left hemiplegia. Magnetic resonance imaging immediately after the onset of hemiplegia showed high intensity in the right hemisphere in diffusion-weighted images (DWI), while T1- and T2-weighted images were normal. Single photon emission computed tomography showed hypoperfusion of the right hemisphere in the acute phase. Virological analyses proved primary human herpesvirus 7 (HHV-7) infection. DWI are useful for the early evaluation of HH syndrome. Vascular disorders due to HHV-7 infection may have been related to the development of HH syndrome in this patient.