Acute Myocarditis Following Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli Gastroenteritis in a 30-Year-Old Male

A 30-year-old male with a medical history of hypertension, severe obesity, and sleep apnea presented with enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) gastroenteritis and was admitted to the hospital with no abnormalities noted on cardiac examination. On the third day of admission, the patient reported chest pain with an EKG revealing ST-segment elevations in the inferior leads and cardiac troponins reaching 4435 ng/L. The diagnosis of EPEC gastroenteritis and associated myocarditis was made through clinical evaluation and laboratory findings. The patient was discharged from the hospital on metoprolol and in stable condition. EPEC is a rare cause of myocarditis, making the association between the two challenging to identify. Therefore, acute myocarditis should be considered in young patients presenting with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) symptoms in the absence of ACS risk factors. By identifying the association between gastroenteritis and myocarditis, this case emphasizes the importance of early diagnosis to facilitate timely treatment and prevent complications.