Task Force III: Prevention and Control of Cardiovascular Complications of Emerging Infectious Diseases and Potential Biological Terrorism Agents and Diseases

摘要

Introduction Primary infection of cardiac and vascular structures by naturally occurring infectious disease pathogens, including emerging and re-emerging infections, in immunocompetent persons is uncommon. However, immunocompromised patients and patients with underlying chronic cardiovascular disease are potentially at risk for infection with these pathogens. More importantly, fever, tachycardia, hypotension, sepsis, toxemia, and shock associated with these infections can lead to life-threatening complications in persons with pre-existing cardiovascular disease and impaired ventricular function. When cardiovascular structures are primarily or secondarily involved in these infections, the well-recognized clinical manifestations may include endocarditis, myocarditis, pericarditis, and vasculitis. In addition, pre-event vaccination against potential biological terrorism may lead to cardiovascular complications, such as myoperi-carditis and acute coronary syndromes. For example, vaccination with vaccinia virus (to prevent smallpox) has been associated with myopericarditis, but not endocarditis or vasculitis.