No correlation between giant cell arteritis and Chlamydia pneumoniae infection: investigation of 189 patients by standard and improved PCR methods.
A total of 189 temporal artery biopsy samples from giant cell arteritis (GCA) patients were investigated using sensitive PCR targeting Chlamydia pneumoniae. Chlamydial DNA was detected in 17 samples, 11 of which were positive for chlamydial antigens. Our data did not reveal strong evidence that C. pneumoniae plays an important role in the pathogenesis of GCA.
Njau
Florence
F
Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Nephrology, Hannover Medical School, Carl Neuberg Strasse 1, 30625 Hannover, Germany. fnjau@yahoo.com
Ness
Thomas
T
Wittkop
Ulrike
U
Pancratz
Thorsten
T
Eickhoff
Meike
M
Hudson
Alan P
AP
Haller
Hermann
H
Wagner
Annette D
AD
D000368:Aged; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000302:isolation & purification; D023521:Chlamydophila Infections / Q000150:complications*; D016993:Chlamydophila pneumoniae / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005260:Female; D013700:Giant Cell Arteritis / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D007118:Immunoassay / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods
D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D004269:DNA, Bacterial