Epidemic pleurodynia (also known as Bornholm disease) is a painful infection of skeletal muscle most commonly caused by the group B coxsackieviruses (although other viruses from the Enterovirus genus can cause this infection).

The enteroviruses are spread through fecal-oral transmission. Outbreaks of this infection have been reported, included a well-documented outbreak in Oxford. Children are more commonly affected, but the attack rate among household members is high.

The usual incubation period is 2-5 days. Patients then develop paroxysmal, sharp, spasmodic pain of the skeletal muscles. Pain is usually most prominent in the chest. Pain may also occur in the muscles of the abdomen, and in some patients, other muscle groups are involved. Most patients have fever and headache. The severity of the pain varies, and is usually worse in adult patients. Pleural friction rubs are not common.

Symptoms improve after 4-6 days, except in a minority of patients in whom symptoms may persist for weeks or in whom symptoms may recur after a symptom-free period of weeks.