Cardiovascular infection by Chlamydia pneumoniae is not related to apolipoprotein E genotype

Chlamydia pneumoniae is detectable in the blood vessels of patients sufferi ng from arteriosclerosis. Risk for arteriosclerosis is modulated by the apo lipoprotein E (apoE) allele. We assessed the significance of the apoE genot ype as a risk factor for vascular C. pneumoniae infection by determining th e genotype of 30 coronary heart disease patients with PCR-proven C. pneumon iae infection of coronary artery tissue. The apoE genotype is not distinctl y associated with an increased risk for vascular C. pneumoniae infection.