Fatal Toxoplasma Myocarditis in an Adult Patient with Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia

Abstract

MYOCARDITIS is an important component of the constellation of clinical symptoms exhibited by adult patients with acquired toxoplasma infections.^{1 2 3 4} Evidence of myocarditis has been demonstrated by clinical and electrocardiographic means in patients who have acquired the disease after laboratory exposure⁵ and by means of increasing serologic titers.^{6 7} Further evidence has been obtained from post-mortem studies with microscopical demonstration of cysts within the heart.⁸ The cysts have been observed both with and without morphologic features of myocarditis. It has generally been accepted that the mere presence of the cysts does not excite inflammatory response but that rupture of the cysts with . . .