Correlation between detection methods of Chlamydia pneumoniae in atherosclerotic and non-atherosclerotic tissues

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and immunohistochemistry (IHC) have been us ed to detect Chlamydia (C.) pneumoniae in vascular tissues. Discrepancies b etween the results of these two methods have frequently been reported. Howe ver, the correlation between PCR and IHC has not been analyzed yet. This st udy assesses the correlation between the detection of C. pneumoniae by PCR and LHC in 45 atherosclerotic and 50 non-atherosclerotic tissue specimens. Also, the presence of Mycoplasma (M.) pneumoniae in these 95 specimens was investigated. Correlation was found between the detection of C. pneumoniae by PCR and IHC in the atherosclerotic tissues. Both tests were positive in 10 specimens a nd negative in 17 specimens (p = 0.003). There was no significant correlati on between PCR and IHC in nonatherosclerotic specimens (p = ns). M. pneumon iae was detected, by PCR, in one atherosclerotic specimen. The results show correlation between PCR and IHC in the detection of C. pne umoniae in atherosclerotic tissues, emphasize the association between C. pn eumoniae and atherosclerosis, and support the specificity of the associatio n between C. pneumoniae and atherosclerosis. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.