Paediatric viral myocarditis successfully treated with interferon beta-1b and corticoids

In paediatrics, evidence regarding the treatment of viral myocarditis using interferon beta-1B is restricted to four children older than two years and there are no reported cases of infants. The objective was to describe the efficacy and safety of interferon beta-1B in two infants under one year of age with viral myocarditis.

Two infants were admitted to the hospital presenting with respiratory symptoms. Echocardiogram showed myocardial damage. Parvovirus-B19 was detected using a PCR assay, and treatment with interferon beta-1B was initiated. Six months later, the cardiac function had recovered in both cases.

This is the first published series of cases of infants less than 1 year of age with viral myocarditis treated with interferon beta-1B.