Detection of Chlamydia pneumoniae DNA in atheromatous tissues by polymerase chain reaction

Chlamydia pneumoniae is an important human respiratory pathogen, Recently, seroepidemiological data and the demonstration of chlamydial DNA or antigen within parts of atherosclerotic lesions have suggested a causal associatio n between chlamydial infections and atherosclerosis, As the results obtaine d by different groups show considerable variations, we provide further data based on a highly specific and sensitive nested PCR method. Positivity was confirmed by nonradioactive hybridization with a specific probe, and sensi tivity was determined by titration experiments. C. pneumoniae DNA was detec ted in 8/29 (28%) of carotid artery samples and 3/14 (21%) of aortic aneury sms.