title: Arrhythmia or myocarditis: a novel clinical form of Legionella pneumophila infection in children without pneumonia.
abstract: The possibility that L. pneumophila causes cardiac disorders without respiratory or pulmonary symptoms in childhood was investigated. Out of 20 children with cardiac troubles of unknown aetiology, three showed a four-fold antibody increase or fall in titre against L. pneumophila antigens by the IFA test. Two children, aged 7 months and 2.5 years, had self-limiting arrhythmia and a third, 10-year-old, was suffering from a severe myocarditis. There was no serologic evidence of concurrent infection by respiratory or coxsackie B viruses nor by M. pneumoniae. It is suggested that Legionella infection should be considered in cardiac diseases in childhood, even if pneumonia is lacking.
mesh_terms: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000175:diagnosis; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007875:Legionella / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D009205:Myocarditis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D012698:Serologic Tests
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial