ABSTRACT
The case of a 50 years old man, coming from an endemic Chagas' disease zone, is reported. This patient came with a dilated cardiomyopathy, likely of Chagasic etiology, and heart failure. He died in our Institute, were it was possible to register an ECG, and perform the necropsy, on the same day of his death. The ECG showed signs of heart chambers dilatation, inactive myocardium in subendocardial anterolateral regions of the left ventricle, and extensive subepicardial injury. The anatomical study demonstrated the four heart chambers dilatation, and a subendocardial fibrosis essentially located in anterolateral portions of the left ventricle. The histological examination proved that the distribution of injured zones corresponded to location of the inflammatory foci. Furthermore, Trypanosoma cruzi inoculation in mice produced inflammatory foci, predominantly located in the ventricular epicardial and subepicardial regions.