Brain damage resembling acute necrotizing encephalopathy as a specific manifestation of haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis - induced by hypersensitivity

BACKGROUND Both haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis and acute necrotizing encephalopathy are life-threatening condition. It presents major diagnostic difficulties, since it may have a diversity in clinical picture and with many conditions leading to the same clinical presentation. So it is key important to understand the disorders. CASE PRESENTATION We report a pediatric case of haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis with specific presentation which predominantly featured as acute necrotizing encephalopathy of childhood. We discuss the diagnosis and differential diagnosis, and speculate the etiology of haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis is due to hypersensitivity. CONCLUSION Haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis and brain damage in this case may be induced by hypersensitivity, which have good clinical outcome if diagnosed and treated early.