Successful early diagnosis and treatment in a case of Toxocara canis-induced eosinophilic myocarditis with eosinophil-rich pericardial effusion.
Fulminant myocarditis can become fatal if left untreated. Treatments for most types of myocarditis, including mechanical support, are limited. However, immediate systemic corticosteroids are known to be effective against eosinophilic myocarditis; therefore, prompt diagnosis of this disease is crucial. Unfortunately, the standard diagnostic tool for myocarditis, endomyocardial biopsy, does not provide immediate histopathological findings. Thus, a rapid diagnostic tool for identifying types of myocarditis is urgently required. We report here the first case of Toxocara canis-induced eosinophilic fulminant myocarditis which was diagnosed based on eosinophil-rich pericardial effusion where the patient recovered with early corticosteroid therapy.
Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Nippon Medical School Hospital, Tokyo, Japan Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Shizuoka Medical Center, Shizuoka, Japan.
Hideto
H
Sangen
Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Shizuoka Medical Center, Shizuoka, Japan.
Jun
J
Tanabe
Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Nippon Medical School Hospital, Tokyo, Japan.
Hitoshi
H
Takano
Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Nippon Medical School Hospital, Tokyo, Japan.
Wataru
W
Shimizu
D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D004802:Eosinophilia / Q000469:parasitology*; D006801:Humans; D007816:Larva Migrans, Visceral / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D008297:Male; D009205:Myocarditis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000469:parasitology; D010490:Pericardial Effusion / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000469:parasitology; D017166:Toxocara canis / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones