Infantile Viral Clinically Myopericarditis with Fibrinous Strands: A Challenging Case Report of Successful Management

Salehi, Forod

doi:10.22038/jpp.2026.98696.5731

Infantile Viral Clinically Myopericarditis with Fibrinous Strands: A Challenging Case Report of Successful Management

Document Type : case report

Author

Forod Salehi

Cardiovascular Diseases Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Vali-Asr Hospital, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran.

10.22038/jpp.2026.98696.5731

Abstract

Case Presentation: A 14-month-old female infant was admitted with tachypnea, tachycardia, hypotension, prolonged fever of unknown origin, lethargy, poor feeding, leukocytosis, and an elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate. Chest radiography revealed mild cardiomegaly with bilateral pleural effusion. Owing to a lack of clinical improvement and poor response to initial treatment, a pediatric cardiology consultation was obtained, and echocardiography was performed, which revealed mild bilateral pleural effusion and pericardial effusion with fibrinous strands. Chest ultrasound and Computed Tomography (CT) angiography of the heart and mediastinal vasculature confirmed these findings. To rule out malignancy, bacterial infection, tuberculosis, and other etiologies, pericardiocentesis was performed, and the specimens were analyzed; the results were solely consistent with viral clinically myopericarditis. The patient received appropriate treatment for the condition for 14 days, during which her clinical status gradually improved, and she was subsequently discharged. Follow-up evaluations 4-8 weeks later demonstrated improved cardiac function and the absence of pericardial effusion.
Conclusion: The most important conclusion of this article is that the use of PCR in this patient prevented misdiagnosis and error in the treatment protocol.

Keywords

Acute

Clinically

Fibrinous Strand

Infant

Myopericarditis

Viral

Subjects

Heart

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