The detection of Chlamydia pneumoniae in atherosclerotic plaques of Australian subjects.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether the common respiratory pathogen, Chlamydia pneumoniae, was associated with atherosclerotic plaques in Australian subjects.


METHODS
A total of 29 coronary atherosclerotic lesions and 18 normal coronary arterial samples were tested for the presence of C. pneumoniae by PCR and immunofluorescence methods.


RESULTS
Chlamydia pneumoniae was detected in 15 of the atheromatous lesions as well as in three of the normal tissues; the immunofluorescence assay was more sensitive (P=0.028) than PCR (P=0.26).


CONCLUSIONS
These findings contradict previous Australian studies which did not detect C. pneumoniae in atherosclerotic plaques, thereby discounting the speculation that its absence was likely due to geographical variation. The detection of the bacterium in some of the normal tissues suggests that C. pneumoniae infection might be an initial trigger of atherosclerotic development.
School of Biomedical Sciences, Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, NSW, Australia.
Melanie
M
Cochrane
Wouter H J
WH
Kalle
Paul
P
Roffey
Helen T
HT
Moriarty
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D016993:Chlamydophila pneumoniae / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction
D004269:DNA, Bacterial