Two cases of viral myocarditis and one case of viral pericarditis

Two cases of myocarditis, who had suffered from ventricular extrasystole, leucocytosis and elevated serum enzyme for a long period died from congestive heart failure and/or arrhythmias. The biopsy specimens from the right ventricle in one of them showed a positive reaction against Coxsackie B virus (1, 3, 4 and 5) in the fluorescent antibody method. One case of virus pericarditis had 5 recurrences over a five-year period. He suffered from dyspnea, chest oppression and general fatigue at each recurrence. Cardiomegaly on a chest X-ray, electrocardiographic abnormalities, leucocytosis and elevated serum enzyme appeared. However, serum neutralizing antibody titers against Coxsackie B2 had not risen significantly except during the first attack. Interferon administration inhibited its recurrence successfully.