Immunological mechanisms in experimental coxsackievirus B3 myocarditis in mice.

To address unresolved questions, experimental models of viral myocarditis may be of great value. In this study, immunological mechanisms of myocardial damage in coxsackievirus B3 myocarditis in mice were investigated. The results showed that susceptibility to viral infection is primarily determined by the genetic background of the host, that the severity of myocarditis depends not upon B cells but upon T cells, and that antigen-specific T cells play a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of acute coxsackievirus B3 myocarditis.