DefinitionMyocarditis is inflammation of the heart muscle.See also: Pediatric myocarditisAlternative NamesInflammation - heart muscleCauses, incidence, and risk factorsMyocarditis is an uncommon disorder that is usually caused by viral, bacterial, or fungal infections that reach the heart.Viral infections:CoxsackieCytomegalovirusHepatitis CHerpesHIVParvovirusBacterial infections:ChlamydiaMycoplasmaStreptococcusTreponemaFungal infections:AspergillusCandidaCoccidioidesCryptococcusHistoplasmaSchistosomiasisWhen you have an infection, your immune system produces special cells that release chemicals to fight off disease. If the infection affects your heart, the disease-fighting cells enter the heart. However, the chemicals produced by an immune response can damage the heart muscle. As a result,