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Myocarditis associated with Echo type 7 infection in a leukemic child
Acta Paediatrica Scandinavica
|September 1, 1976
Summary
A child with leukemia developed myocarditis caused by ECHO 7 virus. Treatment led to full recovery, suggesting impaired immunity contributed to the infection.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Oncology
- Virology
- Cardiology
Background:
- Acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) is a common childhood cancer.
- Myocarditis can be a serious complication in immunocompromised patients.
- ECHO viruses are known to cause various illnesses, but myocarditis is rare.
Observation:
- A 3.5-year-old boy with ALL presented with clinical, radiological, and ECG evidence of myocarditis.
- ECHO type 7 virus was isolated from the patient's stool during the acute phase.
- Rising ECHO 7 neutralizing antibodies were detected in paired serum samples.
Findings:
- The patient's myocarditis resolved completely within 1.5 months.
- ECHO type 7 virus infection was confirmed as the cause of myocarditis.
- The unusual pathogenicity was linked to leukemia and immunosuppressive therapy impacting host resistance.
Implications:
- This case highlights a rare presentation of ECHO 7 virus infection.
- It underscores the risk of opportunistic infections in leukemia patients undergoing immunosuppression.
- Further research into viral pathogenicity in immunocompromised hosts is warranted.