Parvovirus B19 genomes were significantly more likely to be detected in the endomyocardial biopsy specimens of patients with myocarditis or chronic dilated cardiomyopathy compared to normal hearts.
Are parvovirus B19 genomes more frequently detected in endomyocardial biopsies of patients with myocarditis or chronic dilated cardiomyopathy compared to normal hearts?
Parvovirus B19 genomes are significantly more likely to be detected in endomyocardial biopsies of patients with myocarditis or chronic dilated cardiomyopathy compared to normal hearts, supporting its role in pathogenesis.
To the Editor: Viral and postviral myocarditis are the major causes of acute and chronic dilated cardiomyopathy.1 To gain insight into the pathogenesis of parvovirus B19–associated myocarditis as an endothelial-cell–mediated disease (Figure 1A), we measured viral loads in endomyocardial biopsy specimens obtained from 498 patients (341 men and 157 women; mean ±SD age, 46.93±15.85 years) with myocarditis2 or chronic dilated cardiomyopathy who were positive for parvovirus B19 on immunohistologic analysis. A total of 91 noninflamed normal hearts obtained from autopsies served as controls. We found that parvovirus B19 genomes were significantly more likely to be detected in the endomyocardial biopsy . . .
Bock et al. (Wed,) conducted a letter in Myocarditis or chronic dilated cardiomyopathy (n=589). Myocarditis or chronic dilated cardiomyopathy vs. Noninflamed normal hearts (autopsy controls) was evaluated on Detection of parvovirus B19 genomes in endomyocardial biopsy specimens. Parvovirus B19 genomes were significantly more likely to be detected in the endomyocardial biopsy specimens of patients with myocarditis or chronic dilated cardiomyopathy compared to normal hearts.