Infection blamed in death

[Guest guest]

Infection blamed in death

By HILARY BENTMAN

The Intelligencer

phillyBurbs.com - Philadelphia,PA,USA

http://www.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/113-11212008-1625387.html

An inflammation of the heart muscle, likely brought on by an

intestinal virus, caused the death of a 14-year-old Quakertown

student after he collapsed during a soccer practice in August,

according to the Bucks County Coroner.

Duffy, who would have been a freshman at Quakertown High

School this year, was working on warm-ups with the boys team on Aug.

14 when he suddenly became ill.

He died a short time later at St. Luke's Quakertown Hospital.

An autopsy performed immediately after his death was inconclusive.

But further microscopic testing of the heart tissue indicates

had myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart muscle, said Dr.

ph , Bucks' coroner.

believes the inflammation, which was in both the left and

right ventricles, was probably caused by an intestinal virus

had prior to his death.

" It probably got into his blood and precipitated a fatal

dysrhythmia, " said , who said it will probably never be

known exactly why it happened. " It's a horrible tragedy, especially

since he was such a young healthy boy. "

's mother, Debbie Duffy, said her son was not sick before he

died and even had a physical a week before.

" He was the healthiest kid you could have seen, " said Duffy. " How

does someone get something like this? It's just like cancer. Who's

to say who's going to get cancer? If I could understand what the

virus was and how he could have gotten it, but I still don't

understand and don't think I ever will. "

Myocarditis in a rare disease that is believed to cause 5 percent to

20 percent of the sudden deaths in young adults, according to the

Myocarditis Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to

providing information to doctors, patients, and their families about

the disease.

Nationwide, according to the foundation, several thousand people are

diagnosed with the disease annually.

It is typically caused by a viral infection, but in rare cases can

been caused by bacteria, parasites, and mold and fungi.

Symptoms include chest pain, abnormal heartbeat, fatigue, and

shortness of breath, and can develop one to two weeks after the

infection, according to the foundation.

Treatment is available in some cases. But medical professionals do

not believe the disease is inherited nor do they believe people have

a genetic predisposition to it. There are no known preventive

measures.

had no prior history of heart problems, said , who

does not blame the soccer practice for his death.

" Who's to say? " said , noting that any kind of exertion

could have brought it on, or the problem could have degraded over

time. " It could have happened anywhere. "

Duffy said she was glad the coroner's office could give her a cause

of death since it provides her " some piece of mind. To come back and

say " we just don't know' would have been even worse. "

was an avid soccer player since age 5, playing for the Milford

Middle School team and also for the Quakertown Soccer Club's under

15 travel team.

He loved Manchester United and his favorite player was the English

team's striker Wayne Rooney. And just like Rooney, wore No. 10

on his jersey.

Duffy said was a good student and very family-oriented. He was

particularly close to his 9-year-old brother .

" was a very, very good kid. He did so much with his brother

. He never excluded him, " said Duffy. " was a normal kid

with more friends than any one person. "

Bentman can be reached at 215-538-6380 or

hbentman@....

November 21, 2008 7:55 AM

[Guest guest]

5 cases of myocarditis were clustered together at United HealthCare,

where I worked and was made ill.

Barth

www.presenting.net/sbs/sbs.html

SUBMIT YOUR DOCTOR: www.presenting.net/sbs/molddoctors.html

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t> Infection blamed in death

t> By HILARY BENTMAN

t> The Intelligencer

t> phillyBurbs.com - Philadelphia,PA,USA

t> http://www.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/113-11212008-1625387.html