OBJECTIVES The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between Chlamydia pneumoniae seropositivity and aortic atherosclerotic plaques in the general population. BACKGROUND Seroepidemiologic studies suggest that C pneumoniae infection plays a role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. METHODS Transesophageal echocardiography was performed in 385 subjects (median age 66 year...

Renewed interest in chlamydia vaccination has revealed the need for a greater understanding of the seroprevalence of chlamydial infection in US populations. We used a Chlamydia trachomatis elementary body (EB)-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to define the characteristics of the humoral immune response and to determine seroprevalence. Two groups were analyzed: one consisting of patients ...

The antigen-specific serological response to Chlamydia pneumoniae was studied in 45 adults with coronary artery atherosclerosis and compared with that in 40 adults with acute respiratory infection. C. pneumoniae antigen and DNA were detected in lesions more frequently in patients with low immunoglobulin G titers against C. pneumoniae than in those with high immunoglobulin G titers. Reactivities...

In order to establish a causative relationship between Chlamydia pneumoniae and atherosclerosis, animal models have been proposed. In a rabbit model, arterial intimal thickening has been induced by direct intravascular and intranasal inoculation with C. pneumoniae. C. pneumoniae infection can induce significant acceleration of atherosclerosis in a mildly hyperlipidemic rabbit model but is preve...

Three clinical Chlamydia pneumoniae isolates for which the MIC of azithromycin increased after treatment were investigated for genetic evidence of macrolide resistance. Attempts to induce antibiotic resistance in vitro were made. No genetic mechanism was identified for the phenotypic change in these C. pneumoniae isolates. No macrolide resistance was obtained in vitro.

A total of 189 temporal artery biopsy samples from giant cell arteritis (GCA) patients were investigated using sensitive PCR targeting Chlamydia pneumoniae. Chlamydial DNA was detected in 17 samples, 11 of which were positive for chlamydial antigens. Our data did not reveal strong evidence that C. pneumoniae plays an important role in the pathogenesis of GCA.

BACKGROUND This study was designed to test the association of Chlamydia pneumoniae infection with asthma in a multi-racial population, after adjustments for several potential confounding variables. METHODS Antibodies to C pneumoniae were measured by microimmunofluorescence in 123 patients with acute asthma, 1518 control subjects admitted to the same hospital with various non-cardiovascular, n...

A new third species of Chiamydia, called C pneumoniae, has been established for the TWAR organism. We first thought that the new organism belonged to the C psittaci species because it was clearly not a C trachomatis.2’8 Subsequent studies showed that the organism was unique from both currently recognized species.8”#{176}”7”9 Justification for establishing a new species rests primarily on studie...

OBJECTIVE To review the literature for evidence that chronic infection with Chlamydia pneumoniae is associated with atherosclerosis and acute coronary syndromes. DATA SOURCES MEDLINE and Institute of Science and Information bibliographic databases were searched at the end of September 1998. Indexing terms used were chlamydi*, heart, coronary, and atherosclerosis. Serological and pathological ...

The purpose of our retrospective 3-year study was to analyse and compare clinical and epidemiological characteristics in hospitalized patients older than 6 years with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) caused by Chlamydia pneumoniae (87 patients) and Mycoplasma pneumoniae (147 patients). C. pneumoniae and M. pneumoniae infection was confirmed by serology. C. pneumoniae patients were older (42.1...