Cardiomyopathies produced by toxoplasma gondii

Abstract

Eleven cases of cardiomyopathy are presented in which the toxoplasmic infection was ascertained by serologic study. The parasite was recovered from the heart in one of them. All other common etiologies were ruled out by clinical and laboratory procedures. Results showed 2 different groups of patients: one without and one with cardiac failure. One patient of the first group died as a consequence of pulmonary embolism, and in another, cardiac involvement was part of a generalized acute toxoplasmosis. Two patients of the second group died in refractory insufficiency. Treatment results were generally good. This study suggests that failure might be due to a late complication of the toxoplasmic infection of the heart and that it is most important that proper diagnosis be made as early as possible.