title: Acute pericarditis and myocarditis by Toxoplasma gondii in an immunocompetent young man: a case report.
abstract: Infection due to protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii is highly prevalent among humans throughout the world. Acquired primary infection is seldom severe in immunocompetent people while it can be life-threatening in immunodeficient ones. We report a case of acquired toxoplasmosis in an immunocompetent healty 32-year-old man, presenting as acute pericarditis and myocarditis. The patient complained of intense chest pain, asthenia, arthralgia, low-grade fever, neck lymphadenopathy. Increased seric cardiac enzymes, electrocardiografic anomalies of repolarization and the presence of pericardic effusion on echocardiogram needed anti-inflammatory and anti-arrhythmic drugs and a close monitoring. The aetiological diagnosis, supported by serological tests positive for toxoplasmosis, recommended an antibiotic therapy as additional treatment (spiramycin 9MU/day for one month). Full symptoms remission and normalization of serological values suggested, however, that no more effective anti-protozoan treatment was needed. Thus, the infection by Toxoplasma gondii should be taken into account in the aetiology of either acute pericarditis or myocarditis, because a specific treatment is available, which can improve on the prognosis of the disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, Second University of Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Gaetano
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pergola
authors.forename: Angelina
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cascone
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Russo
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000536:Aluminum Hydroxide / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood; D002227:Carbazoles / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000077261:Carvedilol; D002637:Chest Pain / Q000209:etiology; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D006801:Humans; D007121:Immunocompetence; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood; D007213:Indomethacin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008276:Magnesium Hydroxide / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D009205:Myocarditis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000469:parasitology*; D010493:Pericarditis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000469:parasitology*; D011412:Propanolamines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015572:Spiramycin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000276:immunology; D014123:Toxoplasmosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan; D002227:Carbazoles; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D011412:Propanolamines; D000077261:Carvedilol; D000536:Aluminum Hydroxide; C016545:magaldrate; D015572:Spiramycin; D008276:Magnesium Hydroxide; D007213:Indomethacin