High prevalence of Chlamydia pneumoniae DNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells in patients with cardiovascular disease and in middle-aged blood donors.
Nested polymerase chain reaction (nPCR) demonstrated the presence of Chlamydia pneumoniae-specific DNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). PBMC samples were obtained from 103 consecutive patients (62 male, 41 female) aged 22-85 years (mean, 64) admitted for coronary angiography because of suspected coronary heart disease and from 52 blood donors (43 male, 9 female) aged 40-64 years (mean, 49). Of the 101 evaluable patients, 60 (59%) were identified by nPCR assay as C. pneumoniae DNA carriers; C. pneumoniae-specific microimmunofluorescence (MIF) serology confirmed exposure to the bacterium in 57 (95%) of the 60 nPCR-positive patients. Among the 52 blood donors, the nPCR assay identified 24 (46%) C. pneumoniae DNA carriers, all of whom were positive by C. pneumoniae-specific serology. Thirty-two patients (32%) and 23 blood donors (44%) were MIF antibody-positive but repeatedly nPCR-negative; Bartonella henselae- or Bartonella quintana-specific antibodies were not detected among any of these subjects. In this study, C. pneumoniae DNA was common in PBMC of patients with coronary heart disease and in middle-aged blood donors.
Boman
J
J
Department of Clinical Virology, Umeå University, Sweden. jens.boman@climi.umu.se
Söderberg
S
S
Forsberg
J
J
Birgander
L S
LS
Allard
A
A
Persson
K
K
Jidell
E
E
Kumlin
U
U
Juto
P
P
Waldenström
A
A
Wadell
G
G
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D001782:Blood Donors; D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D016993:Chlamydophila pneumoniae / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000601:surgery; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000382:microbiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D004269:DNA, Bacterial