Abstract
An 18-year-old male died suddenly while running a confidence course in basic training. Past medical
history was negative for acute rheumatic fever. The macroscopic autopsy findings were unremarkable.
Histology revealed typical rheumatic heart disease.At autopsy he had chronic rheumatic mitral valvulitis with extensive myocarditis. Multiple Aschoff
bodies were seen in perivascular regions in left ventricle wall.Review of recent literature of various causes of sudden cardiac death failed to reveal chronic rheumatic valvulitis and myocarditis as reported causes of sudden death.