Properties of the left ventricular myocardium structure in experimental acute diphtheria intoxication

Abstract

Diphtheria is considered to be vaccine-preventable disease due to organized immunization programmes. However there are still endemic regions of diphtheria, whence reports of mortal cases are coming. Most of deaths are caused by cardiotoxic effect of diphtheria toxin. Structural changes of left ventricular myocardium were investigated on a model of acute diffuse diphtheria intoxication. It was found that the most significant inflammatory signs manifest on the 5 th day of the experiment which is confirmed by profound infiltrative-degenerative changes of the myocardium.

Keywords

• миокард
• левый желудочек
• дифтерийная интоксикация