title: Asthmatic persons are prone to the persistence of Chlamydia pneumoniae antibodies.
abstract: Acute Chlamydia pneumoniae infection may initiate asthma or worsen asthmatic symptoms. In crowded conditions, such as military service, young men are susceptible to respiratory infections, including C. pneumoniae. We recruited 127 asthmatic and 391 nonasthmatic military conscripts, followed up their respiratory tract infections and the kinetics of serum C. pneumoniae antibodies, and assessed the association between C. pneumoniae and asthma during 6 months of military service in 2 intake groups. During the 6-month period, in the July intake group, IgG antibody prevalence decreased from 60.3% to 43.8% in asthmatic and from 55.6% to 22.6% in nonasthmatic conscripts. In the January intake group, IgG antibody prevalence increased from 38.3% to 48.4% in asthmatic and from 37.2% to 43% in nonasthmatic recruits. IgG and IgA antibodies persisted more often in the asthmatic groups. In conclusion, the prevalence of IgG antibodies showed seasonal variation. Military recruits seem to be most vulnerable to C. pneumoniae infections during the period from January to June. The antibody titer changes were more rapid than previously thought.
authors.affiliation: National Public Health Institute, Department of Child and Adolescent Health, P.O. Box 310, Aapistie 1, 90101 Oulu, Finland. mika.paldanius@ktl.fi
authors.forename: Mika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Paldanius
authors.forename: Raija
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Juvonen
authors.forename: Maija
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Leinonen
authors.forename: Aini
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bloigu
authors.forename: Sylvi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Silvennoinen-Kassinen
authors.forename: Pekka
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Saikku
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood*; D001249:Asthma / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology; D023521:Chlamydophila Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology; D016993:Chlamydophila pneumoniae / Q000276:immunology*; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008889:Military Personnel; D015995:Prevalence; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology; D012621:Seasons
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D007074:Immunoglobulin G