title: Demonstration of Chlamydia pneumoniae in patients with chronic pharyngitis.
abstract: 12 patients with longstanding throat symptoms, who were also positive by PCR (polymerase chain reaction) for Chlamydia pneumoniae were selected for a longitudinal study to determine whether C. pneumoniae is an aetiological agent for chronic pharyngitis. Specimens for culture and PCR detection of C. pneumoniae were taken from the retropharyngeal wall and blood specimens were taken for serology. Biopsies were taken from the mucosal membrane of the retropharyngeal wall for histological and immunohistochemical studies. C. pneumoniae was cultured from 4 cases. 10 patients had specific humoral antibodies to C. pneumoniae and 9 had high and increasing specific antibody titres to C. pneumoniae suggesting ongoing infection. The organism was demonstrated in the tissue from the retropharyngeal mucosal membrane by immunohistochemistry in 9 patients. The findings suggest that C. pneumoniae may be an aetiological agent for chronic pharyngitis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Falck
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Engstrand
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gad
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gnarpe
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gnarpe
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Laurila
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016993:Chlamydophila pneumoniae / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010612:Pharyngitis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*; D010614:Pharynx / Q000382:microbiology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents