Chlamydia pneumoniae infection and atherosclerotic coronary disease

Background Previous works have suggested an association between Chlamydia p neumoniae infection and coronary heart disease. We evaluated the prevalence of C pneumoniae infection in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AM I) and coronary heart disease (CHD). Methods and Results Ninety-eight patients with AMI, 80 patients with CHD, a nd 50 control subjects matched for age and sex were investigated. Immunoglo bulin (Ig)M, IgG, and IgA antibodies to C pneumoniae were measured by the m icroimmunofluorescence test. IgM antibodies were not found; IgG positivity was found in 58.2% of the AMI group, 60.0% of the CHD group, and 38% of the control group, whereas for IgA, positivity was found in 33.7%, 43.7%, and 22% of cases in AMI, CHD, and control groups, respectively. Titers indicati ng reinfection were found in AMI and CHD groups in 6.1% and 10%, respective ly, whereas titers indicating chronic infection were found in 14% of the AM I group and 25% of the CHD group. A significant correlation was found betwe en chronic C pneumoniae infection and dyslipidemias in the AMI and CHD grou ps (P = .003; P = .0006). Conclusions The results suggest that chronic C pneumoniae infection may be associated with the development of atherosclerotic coronary disease. In our next step, we will test whether antichlamydial antibiotics may help to red uce the risk of atherosclerotic disease.