Q. What do you mean by Myocarditis?

Myocarditis is defined as inflammation of the myocardium.

The most common cause is Coxsackie B virus infection. But it can also be due to other viruses (e.g. HIV, cytomegalo virus), bacterial, protozoal, metazoal and fungal infections. Rarely it could be due to hypersensitivity, or a toxic agent.

Few other specific causes are:

i) Rheumatic Carditis. (See section on rheumatic fever)

ii) Chagas Disease. It is seen in central and south America and is due to infection with trypanosome cruzi.

iii) Toxoplasmosis and cytomegalo virus myocarditis are usually seen in cardiac transplant recipients.

iv) Lyme disease (due to spirochete), eosinophilic myocarditis, giant cell myocarditis are other entities.