A Fatal Case of Fulminant Myocarditis with Human Herpesvirus-6 Infection

Satoki FUKAE; Naoto ASHIZAWA; Suguru MORIKAWA; Katsusuke YANO

doi:10.2169/internalmedicine.39.632

Satoki FUKAE, Naoto ASHIZAWA, Suguru MORIKAWA, Katsusuke YANO

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Keywords: hepatitis, steroid pulse therapy, polymerase chain reaction (PCR)

JOURNAL FREE ACCESS

2000 Volume 39 Issue 8 Pages 632-636

DOI https://doi.org/10.2169/internalmedicine.39.632

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Abstract

We report a case of fulminant myocarditis after steroid pulse therapy for acute hepatitis. Serological studies demonstrated a four-fold increase in the antibodies against human herpesvirus-6 (HHV-6) IgG, and a PCR showed the existence of HHV-6 virus DNA. HHV-6 virus DNA was also isolated from the liver and the heart. We believe that exacerbation of fulminant myocarditis was probably associated with the reactivation of HHV-6 due to the immunosuppressive state of the host.
(Internal Medicine 39: 632-636, 2000)

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