Conclusions An outbreak of myocarditis of unknown cause occurred among adults in Kane County (population 400,000) and adjacent areas during winter and early spring 2003. Surveillance for myocarditis cases was initiated throughout Illinois in March and April, although clustering of cases was only evident in and limited to Kane County((Boy this is hard to figure out? Lyme)) and surrounding communities. The reporting of myocarditis cases from other counties likely reflected baseline rates of idiopathic myocarditis in those populations that only came to the attention of public health officials through enhanced surveillance.
No common exposures were identified among case-patients. The outbreak occurred within the same period that adverse events of myopericarditis were being reported after smallpox vaccinations among military and healthcare personnel in the United States, including Illinois (12); however, no patients in this outbreak had recently been vaccinated against smallpox. Most illnesses were preceded by a prodrome that suggested the outbreak was viral in origin. Substantial illness and death occurred in these reported cases. All reported patients were hospitalized, 2 required AICD devices, and 2 deaths occurred, a reminder of the severe sequelae associated with this illness.
Despite extensive laboratory testing on submitted specimens, no specific agent was identified. Cross-reactivity of group B coxsackievirus serology with several agents was apparent from initial laboratory tests performed at the hospitals. These results were insufficient to support a specific cause of illness. Tissue specimens from only 3 of the 16 patients were available for testing, which was a major laboratory limitation in the investigation, particularly for detecting viral nucleic acid by PCR assays. The inability to implicate a responsible agent is a common outcome of myocarditis outbreak investigations (1,13).
A better understanding of myocarditis through enhanced diagnostic and therapeutic strategies, increased awareness of possible clusters of illness, and rapid reporting of clusters to public health departments will help improve prevention of future outbreaks. Recent biopsy-based studies suggest that a proportion of life-threatening myocarditis or idiopathic cardiomyopathy in otherwise healthy adults may arise from enteroviral and cytomegalovirus infections (14,15). Research is needed to assess the effect of potential antiviral treatment on illness and death in this patient population. In addition to encouraging appropriate viral testing of acute- and convalescent-phase serologic specimens, further study is required to examine the usefulness of endomyocardial tissue collection for advanced molecular analyses in patients with unexplained cardiomyopathy.
Myocarditis Alternative names Inflammation - heart muscle; Cardiomyopathy Definition Myocarditis is an inflammation of the heart muscle. Causes, incidence, and risk factors Myocarditis is an uncommon disorder caused by viral infections such as coxsackie virus, adenovirus, and echovirus. It may also occur during or after various viral, bacterial, or parasitic infections (such as polio, influenza, or rubella). The condition may be caused by exposure to chemicals or allergic reactions to certain medications and it can be associated with autoimmune diseases. The heart muscle becomes inflamed and weakened, causing symptoms of heart failure, which may mimic a heart attack.
Symptoms History of preceding viral illness Fever Chest pain that may resemble a heart attack Joint pain or swelling Abnormal heart beats Fatigue Shortness of breath Leg swelling Inability to lie flat Fainting, often related to arrhythmias Low urine output Other symtoms consistent with a viral infection -- headache, muscle aches, diarrhea, sore throat, rashes Sound familiar?????
-------------------- Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Remember Iam not a Doctor Just someone struggling like you with Tick Borne Diseases.
posted
they don't seem to have considered bacterial agents at all.
Posts: 8430 | From Not available | Registered: Oct 2000
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caat
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 2321
posted
Uh... that smallpox vacination wasn't a LIVE attentuated vacination, was it?? Attentuated as far as I understand it means the organism was changed and "hobbled" so to speak.... so it couldn't infect... in theory...
""The outbreak occurred within the same period that adverse events of myopericarditis were being reported after smallpox vaccinations among military and healthcare personnel in the United States, including Illinois (12); however, no patients in this outbreak had recently been vaccinated against smallpox. Most illnesses were preceded by a prodrome that suggested the outbreak was viral in origin. ""
Posts: 1436 | From Humboldt county ca usa | Registered: Mar 2002
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posted
And WHY is it that Lyme was not discovered???? Could be because they didn't test for it....OR the crappy ELISA test or Quest or LabCorp Western Blot didn't find it!!!
SOOOO, they immediately conclude it must be a virus.
-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96223 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
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livinlyme
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 3773
posted
Geez Tree, I have all of those symptoms, but I will await the dicussion at cardio on Tuesday to find out what he tells me.. that appointment comes after the trip to vocational rehab ....to get a job! since I am on Medicaid it will most likely be: "your fine go home and avoid stress!" my test results (blood) never come back in "normal" ranges any more.. And my lipids are supposed to be dicussed...hehehe so I gather the high cholestrol that I have had since I was 30 are still a problem... LOL I'm ready for the 30 and out program! Linda D
-------------------- "Hatred paralyzes life; love releases it. Hatred confuses life; love harmonizes it. Hatred darkens life; love illuminates it." Posts: 1389 | From who knows, who cares, but somewhere over the rainbow | Registered: Mar 2003
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