Myopericarditis Associated with Parainfluenza Virus Type I Infection

Myopericarditis is not uncommon, but often under-diagnosed. In fulminant cases, it may lead rapidly to circulatory failure or malignant arrhythmia, causing mortality. In this report, we describe a 41-year-old man who had episodes of convulsion one week after an upper respiratory tract infection. His electrocardiograms (ECGs) recorded during attack showed ventricular tachycardia. He had pulmonary edema and shock in the hospitalization course. The serial ECGs showed widespread PR depression, ST elevation and T-wave inversion afterwards, typical of myopericarditis change. The patient recovered finally. A paired serology test showed fourfold elevation of Parainfluenza virus type I antibody titer, suggesting that the parainfluenza virus might be the causative agent. This case illustrates that the parainfluenza virus might have a causative role in acute myopericarditis in which the clinical course is fulminant.