Causes of pericarditis
In up to 90% of cases, the cause of pericarditis is unknown. This is called idiopathic pericarditis. There are many causes of pericarditis: A complication of a viral infection, most often a gastrointestinal virus, causes viral pericarditis. A bacterial infection, including tuberculosis, causes bacterial pericarditis. A fungal infection causes fungal pericarditis. An infection from a parasite causes parasitic pericarditis. Some autoimmune diseases, such as lupus, rheumatoid arthritis and scleroderma, can cause pericarditis. Injury to the chest, such as after a car accident, causes traumatic pericarditis. Kidney failure causes uremic pericarditis. Tumors like lymphoma causes malignant pericarditis. Genetic diseases such as Familial Mediterranean Fever (FMF). Medications that suppress the immune system (This is rare).