[Coxsackie B virus in children with acute myocarditis].

PURPOSE

To study etiopathogenic and follow-up aspects of patients with myocarditis.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Among 44 cases of acute myocarditis in children studied from clinical and virological point of view, it was selected 16 which were positive to coxsackie B virus. The clinical investigation included blood test to enzyme dosage, chest X-ray, electro and echocardiogram. The virological work up to coxsackie B1, B3, B4, B5 and B6 included culture neutralization test and IgM (indirect immunofluorescence).

RESULTS

The positive results were: B4 in 9 (57%); B5 in 4 (25%), B1 in 2 (12%) and B3 in 1 (6%). It was not used immunosuppressive treatment. The follow-up (at least one year it was: 7 patients became free of symptoms (43%); 4 (25%) turned to be chronic dilated myocardiopathy 1 (6%) died and 4 (25%) were discharged from hospital but did not return to out-patient clinic. One of patients of chronic group during 4 years of follow-up had ventricular extrasystoles, second degree heart block and now is asymptomatic.

CONCLUSION

We did not observe significative differences among the several types of coxsackie B related to clinical course.