INFECTION AND CORONARY ATHEROSCLEROSIS - THE ROLE OF CHLAMYDIA-PNEUMONIAE

The role of inflammatory reactions in the pathogenesis of atherosclero sis is widely accepted. Recently, an increasing body of evidence has l inked infections to atherosclerosis. It is hypothesized that infection s could interact with other risk factors of vascular disease, enhancin g the endothelial damage and the production of atherosclerotic plaques . Several different infectious agents have been related to the atheros clerosis genesis: mainly herpesvirus, Helicobacter pylori and Chlamydi a pneumoniae. Several lines of evidence strongly link C. pneumoniae to atherosclerosis. Consequently, several studies evaluating the effecti veness of antibiotic treatment in the reduction of cardiac ischemic ev ents in patients with C. pneumoniae seropositivity have been performed . These studies support a causative role for C. pneumoniae. This artic le reviews the recent evidence linking infections to atherosclerosis, with emphasis on the role of C. pneumoniae on the atherosclerotic plaq ue.