[Myopericarditis in a 23-year-old male with herpes zoster]

The varicella zoster virus (VZV) belongs to cardiotropic viruses, although the frequency of cardiac complications during VZV infection is low. Diagnosis of myocarditis or myopericarditis is rare during varicella - primary infection of VZV and sporadic in zoster - reactivation of latent VZV. Only few such cases have been described. The authors present a case of a 23-year-old male in whom clinical symptoms of myopericarditis developed a week after diagnosis of zoster that was localized in the left-upper part of the thorax. Retrosternal chest pain and fever were accompanied by ECG mimicking acute myocardial infarction. A dynamic pattern of troponin I release and slow normalization of ECG were observed. Serial echocardiography showed normal left ventricular function, transient changes in echogenicity of the interventricular septum and small pericardial effusion. In magnetic resonance imaging subepicardial and intramyocardial areas of late gadolinium enhancement were found. He was treated with intravenous acyclovir. No late sequels of the disease were observed.