title: [Detection of Chlamydia pneumoniae in human aortic tissue: kdtA gene amplification and in vitro hybridization].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Atherosclerosis is the main cause of coronary and cerebrovascular disease which, in turn, are the most common causes of mortality and morbidity in the western world. Recent publications suggest that infective microorganisms may play an important role in the genesis and progression of atherosclerosis. According to seroepidemiological and direct detection reports, Chlamydia pneumoniae is the most plausible candidate. Nevertheless, the mechanisms by which the microorganism induces its pathological effect have not yet been conclusively determined; hence, the need exists to explore different detection techniques of C. pneumoniae on arteries.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of the current study was to detect the presence of C. pneumoniae in aortic tissue samples from 14 patients submitted to aortic replacement surgery. Detection method involved kdtA gene amplification coupled with an in vitro hybridization assay.
  
  
  METHODS
  Samples of aortic tissue for DNA extraction and C. pneumoniae detection by PCR-in vitro hybridization were randomly obtained from each of 14 aorta specimens.
  
  
  RESULTS
  C. pneumoniae was detected in 12 (85.7%) of the 14 aortic tissue samples.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This result indicates a frequent association of C. pneumoniae with aortic tissue disease. Further studies are required to determine if this proportion of positive samples persists within larger samples.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Diagnóstico Molecular y Bioinformática, Universidad de los Andes, Bogota, D.C., Colombia.
authors.forename: Natalia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Guzmán
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Espitia
authors.forename: Pilar
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Delgado
authors.forename: Darío
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Echeverri
authors.forename: Lorena
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Buitrago
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jaramillo
mesh_terms: D001011:Aorta / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D016993:Chlamydophila pneumoniae / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial