title: Chlamydia pneumoniae infection in abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) patients and its clinical impact.
abstract: The aim of our study was to assess the presence of Chlmydia pneumoniae infection in AAA patients and to evaluate its association with clinical symptoms and histological signs of inflammation in the aortal wall. Fifty-two AAA patients participated in the research. Thirty healthy controls took part in serological examination. C. pneumoniae was detected by PCR and immunofluorescence in situ reaction in aorta samples of 84.6% and 86.54% of the patients, respectively. Serological markers of chronic C. pneumoniae infection were detected in 86.5% of AAA patients and in 33.3% of healthy controls. High titers of specific IgG and IgA were found in 37.8% of AAA patients with serologically defined chronic infection. All patients in "high serology" group had symptomatic aneurysm and inflammatory infiltrations in their aortal wall samples. AAA patients infected with C. pneumoniae are not a homogenous group. "High serology" group is much more prone to have symptomatic aneurysm than the remaining of AAA patients. Serology can be very useful in predicting the risk of AAA rupture. Inter-laboratory standardization of direct and indirect detection methods of C. pneumoniae infection is required to elucidate the role of these bacteria in AAA development.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, University School of Medicine, Lublin. elamazur@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Elzbieta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mazur
authors.forename: Justyna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Niedźwiadek
authors.forename: Andrzej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wolski
authors.forename: Zofia
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Siezieniewska-Skowrońska
authors.forename: Witold
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zywick
authors.forename: Agnieszka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Korolczuk
authors.forename: Elzbieta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Korobowicz
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kozioł-Montewka
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001011:Aorta / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D017544:Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D016993:Chlamydophila pneumoniae / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000097:blood; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008297:Male; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M