A rare case of acute 'infective' myocardial infarction triggered by acute parvovirus B19 myocarditis.

BACKGROUND: A 25-year-old obese male (BMI 31.9 kg/m(2)) presented with atypical chest pain of sudden onset that was indistinguishable from acute myocardial infarction. He had tachycardia (104 beats/min) and dyspnea at a low level of exercise. He had no previous cardiac history, but his cardiovascular risk profile included a familial predisposition, smoking and hypertension. INVESTIGATIONS: Electrocardiogram, laboratory testing, chest radiography, echocardiography, coronary angiography, intravascular ultrasonography and endomyocardial biopsy. DIAGNOSIS: Acute myocardial infarction and parvovirus-B19-positive myocarditis. MANAGEMENT: Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty with intracoronary abciximab, heparin and nitroglycerin infusion.