Cardiac arrest associated with febrile illness due to U.K. acquired Cyclospora cayetanensis

Abstract

This report describes a 43 yr old man diagnosed with U.K. acquired cyclospora cayetanensis infection resulting in fever and diarrhoea. In course of the febrile illness, he suffered an out of hospital cardiac arrest. Extensive cardiac investigation including a transthoracic echocardiogram, coronary angiogram, and cardiac electrophysiological studies failed to identify the cause. The possible links between cyclospora infection and cardiac arrest are explored. Fever has been reported as a precipitant for idiopathic ventricular fibrillation in patients with the Brugada syndrome but also rarely in individuals with normal hearts. Clinicians should be aware of a possible link between any febrile illness and potentially fatal ventricular dysrhythmia.