Dilated Cardiomyopathies of the Adult

Abstract

(Second of Two Parts)Causes (continued)Acute Infectious Myopericarditis and Acute Inflammatory MyocarditisIn North America and Europe, acute infectious myopericarditis is most commonly caused by coxsackievirus B, Types 1 through 5. Other enteroviruses (coxsackievirus A, Types 4 and 16; echovirus, Types 9, 11 and 22; and poliovirus) are also relatively common causes of the disease.^{49, 110 111 112 113} These agents are each capable of causing dilated cardiomyopathy of abrupt onset; each sometimes produces an epidemic.^{41,42, 114 115 116} Toxoplasma gondii may produce sporadic cases of acute dilated cardiomyopathy, perhaps fairly commonly.¹¹⁷ Approximately 1 per cent of patients infected with Trypanosoma cruzi have an acute phase . . .