Cytomegalovirus (CMV) encephalitis in immunologically normal patients is rarely reported in the literature. CMV infection was diagnosed by viral DNA probe techniques on CSF cells in a 32-year-old, immunologically normal male presenting with a severe clinical picture due to encephalitis. Administration of ganciclovir was followed by an immediate improvement in the patient's condition. More sensitive techniques for CMV detection could allow to discover more cases of CMV encephalitis in non-immunocompromised patients than previously recognized.