Congestive heart failure viruses

Coxsackievirus B can be detected in the hearts of between 30 and 50 percent of all adults with heart failure due to heart muscle weakness, a condition that frequently leads to the need for a heart transplant. In a mouse model, Drs. Penninger and Liu discovered that the difference between suffering minor flu symptoms and developing heart disease comes down to the p56Ick gene.

Without the p56Ick gene, the virus cannot replicate and remains relatively harmless. The body's immune system is designed to recognize foreign agents and destroy them. When infection is detected by the body, the immune system, or T-cells, sets out to attack it. Coxsackievirus B uses t-cells to hitch a ride into the system. When a coxsackievirus infection causes mild flu-like symptoms and inflammation, T-cells head to the site of the infection to fight it.

As T-cells travel to the heart to fight off the infection, the virus goes along for the ride on the back of T-cells, ultimately reaching the heart.

Once in the heart, the virus stimulates the immune system to attack the heart muscle. Penninger and Liu engineered special "knockout mice" that lacked the p56Ick gene. When injected with coxsackievirus B, mice with the p56Ick gene developed severe inflammation of the heart muscle and die from heart failure. The heart has to work harder to pump blood through the body, which can be dangerous in people with pre-existing heart disease.

The heart can fail from overwork, or insufficient oxygen can cause cell death and tissue damage in the heart and other organs. Myocarditis: inflammation of the heart. Stress cardiomyopathy. When attacked by a virus, the body undergoes stress and releases a surge of chemicals called catecholamines that can stun the heart. If you have a new or existing heart problem, it's vital to see a doctor.

Our heart health checklist can help you determine when to seek care. Most serious of all, Michos says, is the possibility of the immune system launching an attack on the invading virus that is so severe that it destroys healthy tissues. When responding to infection with the new coronavirus, the body releases a flood of proteins called cytokines that help cells communicate with one another and fight the invaders.

Symptoms may include fever, fatigue, and chest pains. This virus is transmitted through fecal material, so some of the best prevention methods are washing your hands and improving your overall hygiene.

This family of viruses typically causes gastrointestinal infections and skin rashes. The virus can also cause myocarditis. You may contract the virus by coming into contact with contaminated stool or by breathing in air particles from an infected person. The virus spreads through saliva or nasal mucus. Washing your hands and covering your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze can help reduce the spread of the virus. Known as the virus that causes German measles , rubella can cause viral heart infection.

A vaccine against rubella is available. Because many viral heart infections create no visible symptoms, the infection can go unnoticed. Symptoms that may occur include:. Blood tests, electrical testing, X-rays, and nuclear heart scan testing can show signs of stress on the heart and may alert a doctor to the issue. Doctors also can recommend certain lifestyle changes, such as eating a low-salt diet and reducing activity.

Your doctor will probably administer medications to even out abnormal heart rhythms or help reduce the risk of blood clots if the heart muscle has been damaged or weakened. Treatment will vary depending on the severity of the infection and its effects on the heart. Viral heart disease occurs when a virus attacks the heart muscle. Can a heart get back to normal? Thanks for any help. My heart is broken. Read Responses 1. Dr J Singh. Hi, Dilated cardiomyopathy can be caused by an acute inflammation of the heart muscle myocarditis due to a viral infection.

This disorder is called viral cardiomyopathy. Infection with coxsackie B virus is the most common cause of viral cardiomyopathy. The virus infects and weakens the heart muscle. As in coronary artery disease, the weakened heart stretches in an attempt to compensate, resulting in dilated cardiomyopathy and often heart failure. Since the ejection fraction is quite low, the prognosis is definitely not good. I think in such scenarios, the probably the only answer is cardiac transplantation.

I sincerely hope that helps.