Myocarditis is inflammation of the heart muscle.

See also: Pediatric myocarditis

Myocarditis is an uncommon disorder that is usually caused by viral, bacterial, or fungal infections that reach the heart.

Viral infections:

• Coxsackie
• Cytomegalovirus
• Hepatitis C
• Herpes
• HIV
• Parvovirus

Bacterial infections:

• Chlamydia
• Mycoplasma
• Streptococcus
• Treponema

Fungal infections:

• Aspergillus
• Candida
• Coccidioides
• Cryptococcus
• Histoplasma
• Schistosomiasis

When you have an infection, your immune system produces special cells that release chemicals to fight off disease. If the infection affects your heart, the disease-fighting cells enter the heart. However, the chemicals produced by an immune response can damage the heart muscle. As a result, the heart can become thick, swollen, and weak. This leads to symptoms of heart failure.

Other causes of myocarditis may include:

• Allergic reactions to certain medications or toxins (alcohol, cocaine, certain chemotherapy drugs, heavy metals, and catecholamines)
• Being around certain chemicals
• Certain diseases that cause inflammation throughout the body (rheumatoid arthritis, sarcoidosis)