Adult Pericarditis and Myocarditis Due to Coxsackie Virus Group B, Type 5

Abstract

SINCE the recognition of the Coxsackie viruses in 19481 a number of diverse human illnesses have been associated with these viruses. The gamut of clinical manifestations attributed to the Coxsackie viruses include herpangina,2 3 4 "three-day fever,"4 aseptic meningitis,5 6 7 8 9 10 11 epidemic pleurodynia,12 13 14 pericarditis,15 16 17 18 myocarditis in infants,19 20 21 22 23 orchitis24 and a syndrome of lymphadenopathy and splenomegaly.25 During the spring and summer of 1957 an epidemic of infections due to Coxsackie virus Group B, Type 5, occurred in Salt Lake City, Utah. Laboratory evidence was obtained in 17 cases to incriminate this virus as the etiologic agent in the acute illnesses.§ The clinical manifestations varied strikingly . . .