Parasitic diseases of the heart

Abstract

The following chapter is one of a series of chapters in the volume entitled Infections of the Myocardium appearing in Frontiers in Bioscience. The full table of contents can be found at http://www.bioscience.org/current/special/tanowitz.htm. In this chapter, we review several parasitic infections involving the myocardium and pericardium. The most widely studied parasitic infection affecting the heart is Chagas' disease or American trypanosomiasis. In this chapter we describe issues relating to Chagas' disease not covered in detail in other chapters. African trypanosomiasis may also cause a myocarditis. The protozoan parasite, Entamoeba histolytica rarely causes a pericarditis while Toxoplasma gondii may cause myocarditis, usually in immunocompromised hosts. The larval forms of the tapeworms Echinococcus and Taenia solium may cause space-occupying lesions of the heart. Severe infection with the nematode Trichinella spiralis may cause myocarditis.

Ergosterol biosynthesis and drug development for Chagas disease

“…Although the role of T. cruzi in the pathology and treatment of the acute phase of Chagas disease is widely accepted (Brener & Gazzinelli 1997, Bahia-Oliveira et al 2000, Kirchhoff et al 2004, the parasite's influence on the pathogenesis of chronic Chagas disease has been the subject of controversies for decades (Cunha-Neto et al 1995, Kalil & Cunha-Neto 1996, Tarleton & Zhang 1999, Tarleton 2001.…”

Cardiac manifestations of parasitic infections part 1: Overview and immunopathogenesis

“…25 Many of these parasites are responsible for substantial socioeconomic losses and underdevelopment. 4,6 Most parasites that affect humans go through complex life cycles 11,23,25 (Table 1). During their life cycle certain intestinal, blood, and tissue parasites may directly or indirectly affect various anatomical structures of the heart, such as the myocardium, pericardium, and pulmonary vasculature.…”

“…58 -61 In a similar fashion, toxoplasmosis, trichinellosis, African trypanosomiasis, free-living amoebas, opistorchiasis and many other parasitic diseases may produce damage to the myocardium. 4,11,20,23,25 Other parasites such as amoebiasis, echinococcosis, or cysticercosis may invade the pericardium and may therefore be associated with pericarditis, pericardial effusions, constrictive pericarditis, or cardiac tamponade. 20 -25 The heart may also suffer damage by indirect mechanisms of parasitic infections induced by their presence elsewhere in the human host.…”

What is a Low Frequency of the Disseminated Cysticercosis Suggests that Neurocysticercosis is Going to Disappear?

“…The larval forms of the tapeworms Echinococcus and T. solium may cause space occupying lesions of the heart. Severe infection with the nematode Trichinella spiralis may cause myocarditis [110].…”