Study an microbial persistence in end-stage idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy

Microbial persistence may be involved in the pathogenesis of idiopathic dil ated cardiomyopathy (IDC). Therefore, we evaluated the role of various card iopathogenic microorganisms in patients with end-stage IDC. In a previous s tudy, we did not find evidence for the persistence of enterovirus RNA in en d-stage IDC. In the present study, we looked for other microorganisms that are frequently associated with heart disease, including cytomegalovirus, he patitis B virus,hepatitis C virus, Borrelia burgdorferi, Chlamydia species, mycoplasmata, and Toxoplasma gondii. Serology, polymerase chain reaction ( PCR) analysis specific for detection of microbial genomic sequences, or bot h investigations were performed on myocardial samples from 37 patients with end-stage IDC. PCR analysis was performed on multiple myocardial samples p er patient Thirty-nine patients with end-stage heart disease of known cause were included as controls. On the basis of our serological data and PCR an alyses, we did not find any evidence that microbial persistence in the hear t is involved in the end-stage disease process of IDC.