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Causes
By Mayo Clinic staff
Years ago, rheumatic fever was a common cause of myocarditis. But today there are usually other causes of myocarditis. Most often it develops due to an infection caused by:
- Viruses. The virus most often associated with myocarditis is coxsackievirus B, which can cause symptoms similar to a mild case of flu. But the viruses that cause common cold (adenovirus) and flu, a rash called "fifth disease" (parvovirus B19), gastrointestinal infections (echovirus), mononucleosis (Epstein-Barr virus) and measles (rubella) are also causes of myocarditis. HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, can directly infiltrate the heart muscle.
- Bacteria. These include Staphylococcus aureus, which can also cause an infection of the heart valves called endocarditis, and a tick-borne bacterium that is responsible for Lyme disease. Myocarditis also occurs in more than one-fourth of all people with the bacterial infection diphtheria.
- Parasites. Among these are such parasites as Trypanosoma cruzi and toxoplasma, including some that are transmitted by insects and can cause a condition called Chagas' disease. This disease is much more prevalent in Central and South America than in the United States, but it can occur in travelers and in immigrants from that part of the world. Chagas' disease is the most common global cause of congestive heart failure.
- Fungi and mold. Some yeast infections (such as candida), molds (such as aspergillus) and other fungi (such as histoplasma, often found in bird droppings) are rare causes of myocarditis.
Myocarditis also sometimes occurs if you're exposed to:
- Certain chemicals. These may include substances such as arsenic and hydrocarbons.
- Medications that may cause an allergic or toxic reaction. These include antibiotics, such as penicillin and sulfonamide drugs, as well as some illegal substances, such as cocaine.
- Other diseases. These include lupus, connective tissue disorders, inflammation of blood vessels (vasculitis), and rare inflammatory conditions, such as Wegener's granulomatosis.
