Demonstration of Chlamydia pneumoniae in Atherosclerotic Lesions of Coronary Arteries

摘要: Chlamydia pneumoniae is a human respiratory pathogen that causes acute disease and approximately 10% of community-acquired pneumonia. The infections are geographically widespread. Antibody prevalence studies have shown virtually everyone infected with the C. organisms at some time reinfection common. In addition to disease, seroepidemiologic an association this organism coronary artery disease. was detected in atheromas by immunocytochemistry (15/36) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) (13/30) 20 36 autopsy cases from Johannesburg, South Africa. Sequence analysis rRNA genes amplified PCR confirmed gene products were pneumoniae. Electron microscopy revealed typical pear-shaped elementary bodies 6 21 atheromatous plaques. These findings support offer further evidence may be involved atherosclerotic process.