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Updated: Jul 17, 2026

Quantitative Visualization of Leukocyte Infiltrate in a Murine Model of Fulminant Myocarditis by Light Sheet Microscopy
Published on: May 31, 2017
Co-infection with two Chlamydophila species in a case of fulminant myocarditis
Gernot Walder1, Walter Gritsch, Christian J Wiedermann
1Department of Hygiene, Microbiology and Social Medicine, Innsbruck Medical University, Innsbruck, Austria. gernot.walder@i-med.ac.at
Objective:
The aim of this study is to describe a case of fulminant myocarditis caused by co-infection with Chlamydophila pneumoniae and Chlamydophila psittaci in order to facilitate diagnosis and clinical management of patients suffering from this rare but life-threatening condition.
Design:
Case report.
Setting:
Intensive care unit of Innsbruck Medical University.
Patient:
A 24-yr-old patient admitted with septicemia and cardiac failure.
Interventions:
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation, extracorporal membrane oxygenation, implantation of an extracorporal cardiac assist device, and antibiotic treatment with erythromycin.
Measurements And Main Results:
Cp. pneumoniae and Cp. psittaci were identified by means of polymerase chain reaction and electron microscopy in the patient's myocytes. Successful weaning off the ventricular assist device was performed within 2 wks after commencement of antibiotic therapy.
Conclusions:
This case report demonstrates co-infection with Cp. pneumoniae and Cp. psittaci to be a hitherto unknown cause of fulminant myocarditis. There is a particular risk of misdiagnosis of viral myocarditis, which must be avoided. Patients should be transferred to a center where extracorporal membrane oxygenation therapy and molecular diagnosis of all members of the family Chlamydiaceae are available.
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