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Description

Myocarditis refers to inflammation of the myocardium, which can reduce the heart's ability to pump blood. Acute myocarditis commonly has an infectious etiology and the clinical presentation is highly variable; symptoms can range from a non-specific viral prodrome to cardiogenic shock and sudden cardiac death. The incidence rate of acute myocarditis in children is reported to be 0.9 in 100,000 per year in the U.S, making it a rare cardiac pathology in patients this young.

This case will discuss a 9-month-old previously healthy female who presented to the emergency department due to 5 days of poor oral intake and decreased urine output. She had originally been diagnosed with an ear infection by her primary care provider, but her symptoms persisted despite antibiotics. When the patient was laid flat on the exam table, she developed hemodynamic instability and respiratory distress. The patient's oxygen desaturated to the low 80s with bradycardia and perioral cyanosis. She was found to be in heart failure with bilateral pleural effusions and ascites, secondary to acute viral myocarditis.

This case highlights the importance of maintaining a high index of suspicion for pediatric myocarditis, initiating a thorough workup, and quickly treating the patient in order to minimize the risk of long-term cardiac complications. Although rare, myocarditis is a serious diagnosis that should always be kept on the differential for a pediatric patient with generalized refractory symptoms.

Publication Date

5-8-2026

Disciplines

Pediatrics

Comments

2026 Research Day Corewell Health West, Grand Rapids, MI, May 8, 2026. Abstract 1958

Viral Myocarditis in a 9-Month-Old Female: A Case Report

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