Abstract
Chlamydophila pneumoniae, an important respiratory pathogen causing lower respiratory tract infections, has also been implicated in coronary heart disease (CHD). This study reports a cross-sectional, demographic, serological analysis of the prevalence of Chlamydophila pneumoniae antibodies in a multiracial Malaysian population. Generally, Malaysian Indians had the highest degree of seropositivity (58%) followed by the Chinese (54%) and the Malays (32%), results which were statistically significant (CI: 95%; p < 0.01). Interestingly, this trend was also reflected in the study group consisting of patients with acute myocardial infarctions (AMI) and chronic CHD. Again, the Indians were more frequently sero-positive (65%), with more than 50% having IgG titres ≥ 128. Comparatively, the Chinese and Malays showed 51 and 17% seropositivity respectively. These results were also statistically significant (CI: 95%; p < 0.01). Malaysian Indians are more commonly afflicted with CHD. A variety of factors have been suggested to explain this prevalence including diet, social habits, genetics and the possible role of infectious agents. This study notes an interesting association between this pattern of racial prevalence and the possible role of C. pneumoniae infections as a contributory/predisposing factor in the development of cardiovascular disease.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Grayston JT. Chlamydia pneumoniae, strain TWAR. Chest 1989; 95: 664–669.
Grayston JT, Wang S-P, Kuo C-C, Campbell LA. Current knowledge on Chlamydia pneumoniae, strain TWAR, an important cause of pneumonia and other acute respiratory diseases. Eur J Clin Dis 1989; 8: 191–202.
Saikku P, Ruutu P, Leinonen M, Panelius J, Tupasi TE, Grayston JT. Acute lower respiratory tract infection associated with Chlamydia TWAR antibody in Filipino children. J Infect Dis 1988; 158: 1095–1097.
Cook PJ, Davies P, Wise R, Honeybourne D. Chlamydia pneumoniae infection and ethnic origin. Ethn Health 1998; 3(4): 237–246.
Wang S-P, Grayston JT. Population prevalence antibody of Chlamydia pneumoniae, strain TWAR. In: Bowie WR, Caldwell HD, Jones RP, Mardh P-A, Ridgway GL, Schachter J, Stamm WE, Ward ME (eds), Chlamydial Infections. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1990: 402–405.
Khoo KL, Tan H, Khoo TH. Cardiovascular mortality in Peninsular Malaysia: 1950-1989. Med J Malaysia 1991; 46: 7–20.
Pallister RA. Cardiac infarction in Malaysia. Br Med J 1957; 1: 27–30.
Saikku P, Leinonen M, Mattila K, et al. Serological evidence of an association of a novel chlamydia, TWAR, with chronic coronary heart disease and acute myocardial infarction. Lancet 1988; ii: 983–986.
Wong YK, Gallagher PJ, Ward ME. Chlamydia pneumoniae and atherosclerosis. Heart 1999; 81: 232–238.
Grayston JT. Chlamydia pneumoniae, strain TWAR. In: Bowie WR, Caldwell HD, Jones RP, Mardh P-A, Ridgway GL, Schachter J, Stamm WE, Ward ME (eds), Chlamydial Infections. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1990: 389–401.
Saikku P. The epidemiology and significance of Chlamydia pneumoniae. J Infect 1992a; 24(Suppl): 27–34.
Hill AV. Genetics and genomics of infectious disease susceptibility. Br Med Bull 1999; 55(2): 401–413.
Forsey T, Darouger S, Treharne JD. Prevalence in human beings of antibodies to Chlamydia IOL-207, an atypical strain of Chlamydia. J Infect 1986; 12: 145–152.
Nakamura Y, Moss AJ, Brown MW, Kinoshita M, Kawai C. Ethnicity and long-term outcome after an acute coronary event. Multicenter Myocardial Ischemia Research Group. Am Heart J 1999; 138(3 Pt 1): 500–506.
Whitty CJ, Brunner EJ, Shipley MJ, Hemingway H, Marmot MG. Differences in biological risk factors for cardiovascular disease between three ethnic groups in the Whitehall II study. Atherosclerosis 1999; 142(2): 279–286.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Naidu, B.R., Ngeow, Y. & Pang, T. Ethnic distribution of Chlamydophila pneumoniae antibodies in a Malaysian population and possible correlation with coronary heart disease. Eur J Epidemiol 18, 135–137 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1023004323444
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1023004323444