Uncommon ascaris induced eosinophilic myocarditis simulating acute coronary syndrome without ST segment elevation: A...

and importance: Ascaris lumbricoides is a nematode parasite that causes ascariasis. Cardiac involvement in ascariasis is uncommon and rarely reported in the literature.

We present the case of 45 years-old man, with previous medical history of ascaris infection one week before his admission to the emergency department for acute chest pain. The electrocardiogram revealed ST-segment and T wave abnormalities in septo-apico-lateral and inferior leads, along with high levels of troponin T and eosinophil blood cells count, while transthoracic echocardiography showed lateral and inferior walls motion abnormalities. The diagnosis of myocardial infarction was made and an urgent coronary angiography was carried out revealing normal coronary arteries which redressed the diagnosis and supported ascaris induced eosinophilic myocarditis (EM). The patient was put under anthelmintic drugs with favorable clinical, biological and imaging evolution.

Eosinophilic myocarditis may present with variable and misleading scenarios ranging from asymptomatic patients to cardiogenic choc and sudden death and in some cases with clinical presentation of acute coronary syndrome.

The aim of this work was to increase recognition of EM in the light of this clinical case report of ascaris lumbricoides associated myocarditis simulating an acute coronary syndrome without ST segment elevation.