title: Chlamydia pneumoniae infections in patients with community-acquired pneumonia in Slovenia.
abstract: It is well known that Chlamydia pneumoniae is an important respiratory pathogen. In this study, the prevalence of specific antibodies to C. pneumoniae in hospitalized patients with community-acquired pneumonia (943 adult females, 990 adult males and 185 children) was evaluated over a period of 7 y (1993-99). Two serum samples were obtained from all of the patients: 1 on admission and the other 3 weeks later. The specimens were tested for C. pneumoniae IgG, IgM and IgA antibodies by means of a microimmunofluorescence test. Acute infection with C. pneumoniae was determined in 9.4% of females and 13.1% of males. In children and adolescent patients, the microimmunofluorescence test showed recent infection in 8.6% of cases, with the highest prevalence occurring in the 11-15 y age group. The highest prevalence of C. pneumoniae pneumonia was found in 1995 and 1999: 15.4% and 13.6% respectively. The results obtained showed that C. pneumoniae is persistently present in the population of Slovenia.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Microbiology and Immunology, Ljubljana, Slovenia. Darja.Kese@mf.uni-lj.si
authors.forename: Darja
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kese
authors.forename: Milan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cizman
authors.forename: Jozica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Marin
authors.forename: Tatjana Avsic
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Zupanc
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D023521:Chlamydophila Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D016993:Chlamydophila pneumoniae / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D017714:Community-Acquired Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D018410:Pneumonia, Bacterial / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012698:Serologic Tests; D017524:Slovenia / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial