Abstract

Autoimmune myocarditis is an autoimmune disease that affects the heart. The condition is characterized by inflammation of the heart muscle (myocardium). Autoimmune models of myocarditis were developed in late 1980s to 199s by deveral laboratories. Two main approaches were used to induce disease; either complete Freund's adjuvant supplemented with Mycobacterioum tuberculosis or a mildly infectious virus injected with cardiac myosin or other self-peptides. Further description of the variant of myocarditis can be made based on the equality of the inflammatory cell infiltrate (eosinophilic, polymorphous, lymphocytic or granulomatous).

Keywords: Autoimmune disorders; Myocarditis