[Myocarditis and dilated cardiomyopathy (an analysis of questions of etiology, pathogenesis and differential diagnosis in a clinical example)].

Development and clinical course of dilated cardiomyopathy is analysed in detail on one clinical case. Myocardial biopsy findings, immunologic data and autopsy findings are compared. The data obtained indicate that myocardial lymphocyte infiltration correlates with the rise in titres of antibodies to cytomegalovirus and the virus of herpes simplex as well as increase in serum alpha-interferon, neopterin and beta-2-microglobulin concentrations. Rise in the level of antibodies to cardiolipins is combined with thromboembolic syndrome. The roles of immunological control disturbances and immunity system activation in the pathogenesis of dilated cardiomyopathy as well as possible evolution of myocarditis into dilated cardiomyopathy are discussed.