New Concepts in Viral Heart Disease, Softcover reprint of the original 1st ed. 1988 Virology, Immunology and Clinical Management

The recent rapid advances in our knowledge of immunological and virological mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of viral heart disease makes it difficult for everybody working in this field to keep up with the latest developments. How­ ever, much of what we know is still circumstantial and only vaguely substained. Interdisciplinary understanding and cooperation thus seems necessary to get a better insight into the mechanisms by which viruses may initiate immunological organ-specific tissue injury and disease! This volume evolved out of an international symposium by the same title held on May 25. -28. , 1988 in Tegernsee, near Munich, of which a wide spectrum ofim­ munological, virological, diagnostical and clinical problems was covered. Both review articles and new experimental and clinical data are included in this volume to give the reader an up-to-date information about current concepts and future aspects. Chapter I serves as an excellent introduction to the epidemiology and natural history of dilated cardiomyopathy / viral heart disease. Although a definite viral etiology in myocarditis and dilated cardiomyopathy is often difficult to establish, epidemiological and serological data incriminate a viral etiology underlying many cases of "dilated cardiomyopathy". Chapters II and III describe the current think­ ing on virological and immunological mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of viral heart disease. Among others virus topism, virus persistance, possible mecha­ nisms and genetic basis of post-infection autoimmunity, and the virus-interaction with the immune system are discussed.

I. Epidemiology and Natural History.- The Etiology, Pathogenesis and Pathophysiology of Dilated Cardiomyopathies.- Virological, Immunological and Clinical Features of Myocarditis and Dilated Cardiomyopathy.- Epidemiology and Pathogenicity of Coxsackieviruses.- Natural History of Acute Viral or Idiopathic Myocarditis: A Clinical and Endomycardial Biopsy Follow-up.- Myocarditis in Patients with Dilated Cardiomyopathy— Correlation with Clinical, Hemodynamic and Biochemical Findings.- Coxsackievirus Cardiomyopathy in Animal Models, Including the Augmenting Effect of Exercise During the Acute Phase.- II. Concepts in Viral Pathogenesis.- Replication, Molecular Biology, and Pathogenesis of Coxsackieviruses.- A Murine Model for Coxsackievirus B3-Induced Acute Myocardial Necrosis for Study of Cellular Receptors as Determinants of Viral Tropism.- Induction of Soluble Mediators During Coxsackievirus B3 Replication In Vitro and In Vivo.- Persistence of Echovirus Type 6 in Cultured Cells.- Detection and Typing of Enteroviruses by Nucleic Acid Probes and Monoclonal Antibodies.- Generation of Enterovirus Group-Specific Antisera Using Bacterially Synthesized Coxsackievirus B3 Proteins.- III. Virus and Immunity.- Myocarditis: A Post-infectious Autoimmune Disease.- Viral Myocarditis: Immunogenetic and Autoimmune Aspects.- Is Coxsackievirus B3-Induced Myocarditis in A/J Mice Mediated by an Autoimmune Response to Cardiac Myosin?.- Virus-Induced Autoimmunity: Cross-Reactivity of Antiviral Antibodies with Self-Components.- Immunopathogenic Mechanisms in Experimental Myocarditis: Evidence for Autoimmunity to the Virus Receptor and Antigenic Mimicry Between the Virus and Cardiocyte.- Coxsackie B3 Myocarditis: Genetic Aspects of Different Immunopathogenetic Mechanisms in BALB/c and DBA/2 Mice. Antigenic Specificity of Heart-Reactive Antibodies in DBA/2 Mice.- Interactions of Group B Coxsackieviruses with Immunocytes.- Early Cellular Infiltrates in Coxsackievirus B3 Murine Myocarditis.- IV. Characterization of Autoimmunological Mechanisms.- Beta-Adrenoceptor Autoantibodies in Idiopathic Dilated Cardiomyopathy.- Antibodies Against the ADP/ATP Carrier Crossreact with the Ca-Channel — Functional and Biochemical Data.- Antibodies and Autoantibodies against ADP/ATP Carrier Enhance Calcium Current in Isolated Ventricular Myocytes.- Antibodies Against the ADP/ATP Carrier Alter Myocardial Function by Disturbing Cellular Energy Metabolism.- The Importance of Humoral and Cellular Immunological Parameters for the Pathogenesis of Viral Myocarditis.- Characterization of T-Lymphocytes Cultured from Human Endomyocardial Biopsies.- V. Diagnostic Criteria.- The Role of Biopsy in the Diagnosis and Follow-up of Myocarditis. A Critical Review.- Impaired Myocardial Ultra-Structure and Cytoskeleton in Cardiomyopathic Human Myocardium.- Immunofluorescence Microscopy in the Diagnosis and Follow-up of Patients Suspected of Having Inflammatory Heart Disease.- of Major Histocompatibility (MHC) Antigens on Myocardial Cells in Patients with Active Myocarditis and Idiopathic Cardiomyopathy.- Evalution of Immunohistological Data for the Diagnosis of Myocarditis.- Enteroviral Heart Disease: Diagnosis by In Situ Hybridization.- Persistence of Enterovirus RNA in Dilated Cardiomyopathy: A Progression from Myocarditis.- Diagnosis of Acute Myocarditis with Radiolabeled Monoclonal Antimyosin Antibody: Immunoscintigraphic Evaluation.- VI. Immuno-Modulating Therapy: Experimental and Clinical Approaches.- Animal Models for Therapeutic Trials of Viral Myocarditis: Effect of Ribavirin and Alpha Interferon on Coxsackievirus B3 and Encephalomyocarditis Virus Myocarditis.- Antiviral Activity of Human Fibroblast Interferon in Coxsackievirus B3-Infected Cultured Human Heart Cells.- Immunosuppressive Therapy in Myocarditis: Acute Viral Versus Chronic Idiopathic Myocarditis.- Immunosuppressive Treatment in Myocarditis.- The Role of Cardiac Transplantation in Patients with Active Myocarditis.- Clinical and Experimental Aspects of Treatment for Viral Myocarditis.- VII. New Aspects of Clinical Management.- Alterations of Receptors and of Agonist Effectiveness in Myocardial Failure.- Positive Inotropic Drugs in the Treatment of Chronic Congestive Heart Failure: A Critical Up-date.- Effect of ACE-Inhibitors on Myocardial Perfusion.- Experimental Evidence for Cardioprotection Afforded by Ramipril, an Inhibitor of Angiotensin Converting Enzyme.- Energetic Consequences of Pharmacological Therapy in Patients with Myocardial Failure.- The Effect of ACE Inhibitors on Energy Metabolism in Chronic Heart Failure — Enzymatic Studies of Myocardial Biopsies.