title: Role of chlamydia infection in the pathogenesis of atherosclerotic plaques in HIV-1-positive patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Various authors have hypothesized a role of Chlamydia pneumoniae infection in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. To better understand the possible role of this infection in the pathogenesis of epi-aortic lesions in HIV-1-positive patients, the presence of anti-Chlamydia pneumoniae antibodies was evaluated in a group of individuals subjected to ultrasonography of the epi-aortic vessels.
  
  
  METHODS
  The presence of specific antibodies in 129 subjects was determined; 59 patients were HIV-1-positive, of whom 30 had carotid plaques and 29 were without lesions. The control group was composed of 70 subjects. All were subjected to ultrasonography of the epi-aortic vessels. IgG, IgM and IgA anti-C. pneumoniae antibodies were measured with micro-immunofluorescence and positive sera were tested for C. trachomatis and C. psittaci.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No subjects were positive for IgM. Both the IgA and IgG levels did not differ significantly in the three groups. The only highly significant variable was the use of protease inhibitors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data suggest that the damage to the carotid wall in HIV-1 patients was not due to C. pneumoniae.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Clinical Medicine, Immunology and Infectious Diseases (Infectious Disease section), Naples, Italy. p_maggi@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Maggi
authors.forename: Rosanna
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Monno
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chirianni
authors.forename: Miriam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gargiulo
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Carito
authors.forename: Luciana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fumarola
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Perilli
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lillo
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bellacosa
authors.forename: Annarita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Panebianco
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Epifani
authors.forename: Guido
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Regina
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000150:complications*; D016993:Chlamydophila pneumoniae / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005260:Female; D006679:HIV Seropositivity; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors