Detection of Chlamydia pneumoniae DNA in buffy-coat samples of patients with abdominal aortic aneurysm

• Published in: European journal of clinical microbiology & infectious diseases Vol. 20; no. 2; pp. 111 - 116
• Main Authors: MARAHA, B, DEN HEIJER, M, WULLINK, M, VAN DER ZEE, A, BERGMANS, A, VERBAKEL, H, KERVER, M, GRAAFSMA, S, KRANENDONK, S, PEETERS, M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin Springer 01.02.2001; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Abdomen; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Antibiotics; Antibodies; Antibodies, Bacterial - blood; Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal - complications; Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal - microbiology; Aortic aneurysms; Atherosclerosis; Biological and medical sciences; Blood and lymphatic vessels; Cardiology. Vascular system; Cardiovascular disease; Case-Control Studies; Chlamydia; Chlamydia Infections - blood; Chlamydia Infections - complications; Chlamydia Infections - microbiology; Chlamydia pneumoniae; Chlamydophila pneumoniae - genetics; Chlamydophila pneumoniae - immunology; Chlamydophila pneumoniae - isolation & purification; Clinical trials; Confidence intervals; Coronary vessels; Diabetes; Diseases of the aorta; DNA, Bacterial - blood; DNA, Bacterial - isolation & purification; Female; Fluorescent Antibody Technique; Hospitals; Humans; Hypertension; Immunoglobulin G - blood; Infections; Internal medicine; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Multivariate Analysis; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Risk factors; Surgery; Vein & artery diseases; Netherlands; Human; Chlamydia pneumoniae; Chlamydiaceae; Pathogenesis; Aneurysm; IgG; Cardiovascular disease; Serology; Arterial disease; Vascular disease; Abdominal aorta; Microbiological investigation; DNA; Chlamydiales; Bacteria; Aorta; Detection; Vascular wall; Aortic disease
• ISSN: 0934-9723; 1435-4373
• DOI: 10.1007/PL00011240

Recent studies have suggested that Chlamydia pneumoniae infection is a risk factor for abdominal aortic aneurysm. This study explores the presence of Chlamydia pneumoniae DNA in buffy-coat samples of control subjects and of patients with abdominal aortic aneurysm. The seroepidemiological association between abdominal aortic aneurysm and Chlamydia pneumoniae was also investigated. Buffy-coat samples and serum specimens were obtained from 88 patients and 88 control subjects. Detection of Chlamydia pneumoniae DNA in buffy-coat samples and measurement of IgG antibodies to Chlamydia pneumoniae in serum specimens were performed by polymerase chain reaction and microimmunofluorescence, respectively. Chlamydia pneumoniae DNA was detected in buffy-coat samples of 18 (20%) patients and 8 (9%) control subjects (adjusted odds ratio 2.9, 95% confidence interval 1-8.5). IgG antibodies to Chlamydia pneumoniae were detected in 85 (97%) patients and 71 (81%) control subjects (adjusted odds ratio 7.2, 95% confidence interval 1.7-31). The results show an association between abdominal aortic aneurysm and either the presence of Chlamydia pneumoniae DNA in buffy-coat samples or IgG antibodies to Chlamydia pneumoniae. These findings support the hypothesis that previous infection with Chlamydia pneumoniae might be a risk factor for abdominal aortic aneurysm.