Chlamydia pneumoniae infection in HIV-positive patients: prevalence and relationship with lipid profile.
OBJECTIVE
The aims of this study were to evaluate the prevalence and impact of Chlamydia pneumoniae infection in HIV-positive patients and to establish the relationship between C. pneumoniae infection and lipid profile.


METHODS
Detection of C. pneumoniae was by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) on Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells (PBMCs) collected from 97 HIV-positive patients. Samples were collected after overnight fast in EDTA-treated tubes. On the same day, patients were also tested for routine chemistry, HIV viral load, CD3, CD8 and CD4 cell counts and lipid profile [cholesterol, high-density lipoproteins (HDLs), low-density lipoproteins (LDLs) and triglycerides].


RESULTS
The overall prevalence of C. pneumoniae was 39%. The prevalence of C. pneumoniae was inversely related to the CD4 lymphocyte count (P=0.03). In the naive group, C. pneumoniae-positive patients had both significantly higher HIV load (71 021+/-15 327 vs. 14 753+/-14 924 HIV-1 RNA copies/mL; P=0.03) and lower CD4 cell count (348.0+/-165.4 vs. 541.7+/-294.8; P=0.04) than C. pneumoniae-negative patients. Moreover, treatment-naive patients with C. pneumoniae infection had significantly higher mean levels of cholesterol (185.3+/-56.2 vs. 124.8+/-45.9 mg/dL; P=0.01), triglycerides (117.2+/-74.7 vs. 68+/-27.6 mg/dL; P=0.04) and LDL (122.4+/-60.1 vs. 55.6+/-58 mg/dL; P=0.05) than C. pneumoniae-negative patients.


CONCLUSIONS
These data indicate that, in HIV-positive subjects, C. pneumoniae infection is relatively frequent and is associated with both low CD4 cell count and high HIV load. Furthermore, C. pneumoniae appears to be associated with hyperlipidaemia and might therefore represent a further risk factor for cardiovascolar disease in HIV-positive patients.
Tositti
G
G
Department of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, San Bortolo Hospital, Vincenza, Italy.
Rassu
M
M
Fabris
P
P
Giordani
Mt
M
Cazzavillan
S
S
Reatto
P
P
Zoppelletto
M
M
Bonoldi
M
M
Baldo
V
V
Manfrin
V
V
de Lalla
F
F
D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D000328:Adult; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000382:microbiology; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D019562:Viral Load