[Infectious complete atrioventricular block in children: 2 case reports]

We report 2 cases of children who developed a complete atrioventricular block following an infection, varicella without complication initially in the first case and Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumopathy in the second case, in which a first-degree congenital heart block was diagnosed on this occasion. In case 1, the treatment consisted in oral corticosteroids leading to the recovery of sinus rhythm; the course was unfavorable in the second case and required a permanent pacemaker. This cardiac complication of bacterial or viral infection is rare in children but evolves to permanent conduction disturbance in 1/3 of the cases. It is important to detect this disorder, which is feasible simply by a clinical examination and an electrocardiogram.