title: Sudden cardiac death from parvovirus B19 myocarditis in a young man with Brugada syndrome.
abstract: Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of sudden death all over the world. The aetiology of sudden cardiac death among young adults includes Brugada syndrome and myocarditis. Brugada syndrome is a genetic abnormality of sodium channels in the myocardium with a characteristic electrocardiographic pattern. Myocarditis has several aetiologies including infections. One of the most common cardiotropic viruses is parvovirus B19. This infection presents as a febrile illness in childhood and may result in fatal outcome, more frequently in adults. In this report we present a case of a young man who suffered from a mild upper respiratory tract infection. After recovery he had an episode of syncope and was diagnosed with Brugada syndrome. Some weeks later he died suddenly at home while sleeping. The detailed forensic pathological, histological and microbiological investigation revealed a parvovirus B19-associated myocarditis. Synergic effect of structural and functional abnormalities of the myocardium may lead to death. The cause and potential complications (eg. myocarditis) of even mild infections should be monitored carefully.
authors.affiliation: Division of Infectious Diseases, First Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Szeged, Kálvária sgt. 57, H-6725, Hungary; Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Szeged, Kossuth Lajos sgt. 40, H-6724, Hungary. Electronic address: dr.zoltanjuhasz@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Zoltan
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Juhasz
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Szeged, Állomás u. 2, H-6720, Hungary.
authors.forename: Laszlo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tiszlavicz
authors.affiliation: Institute of Clinical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Szeged, Semmelweis u. 6, H-6725, Hungary.
authors.forename: Beatrix
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kele
authors.affiliation: Institute of Clinical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Szeged, Semmelweis u. 6, H-6725, Hungary.
authors.forename: Gabriella
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Terhes
authors.affiliation: Institute of Clinical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Szeged, Semmelweis u. 6, H-6725, Hungary.
authors.forename: Judit
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Deak
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Therapy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Szeged, Korányi fasor 7, H-6720, Hungary.
authors.forename: Laszlo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rudas
authors.affiliation: Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Szeged, Kossuth Lajos sgt. 40, H-6724, Hungary.
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kereszty
mesh_terms: D054087:Atrial Septum / Q000473:pathology; D053840:Brugada Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis*; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016757:Death, Sudden, Cardiac / Q000209:etiology*; D004562:Electrocardiography; D049429:Forensic Pathology; D006325:Heart Atria / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D009205:Myocarditis / Q000821:virology*; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology; D032383:Myocytes, Cardiac / Q000473:pathology; D009336:Necrosis; D010322:Parvoviridae Infections / Q000175:diagnosis*; D016732:Parvovirus B19, Human / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral
keywords: Brugada syndrome; Myocarditis; Parvovirus; Sudden death