Necropsy study of endomyocardial fibrosis and rheumatic heart disease in Uganda 1950-1965.

Abstract

Endomyocardial fibrosis is a relatively common form of heart disease in Uganda It is characterized in the established condition by fibrosis in the endo- cardium and subjacent myocardium affecting particularly the inflow tract and the apex of one or both ventricles. The aetiology of this disorder is not known, and hypotheses have been put forward in attempts to incriminate virus or filarial infections, plantain diets, and rheumatic heart disease. The disorder has also been described in West Africa, Ceylon, South India, and Central Africa, and well- authenticated cases have been seen in Europeans resident in tropical areas (Brockington, Olsen, and Goodwin, 1967).