Myopericarditis with cardiac tamponade, aortic dissection, and splenic infarction caused by Campylobacter fetus

Abstract

Myopericarditis involves concomitant inflammation of the pericardium and myocardium and may progress to life-threatening cardiac tamponade. Among infectious etiologies, Campylobacter spp. is an infrequent pathogen, although its incidence has increased over the last decade. Human transmission occurs primarily through consumption of undercooked food or contaminated water. Within the genus Campylobacter, C. fetus is most frequently associated with extraintestinal manifestations, including meningitis, bacteremia, and cardiovascular complications.

We report the case of a 41-year-old male livestock worker who developed cardiac tamponade secondary to C. fetus myopericarditis, associated with Stanford type B aortic dissection and splenic infarction.