Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Atherosclerosis due to chronic arteritis caused byChlamydia pneumoniae: A tentative hypothesis

  • Hypothesis
  • Published:
Infection Aims and scope Submit manuscript

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Stary, H. C. Pathologie der Atherosklerose. In:Schwand, P., Richter, E. (eds.): Handbuch der Fettstoffwechselstörungen. Schattauer-Verlag, Stuttgart 1995, pp. 48–64.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Fuster, V., Badimon, L., Badimon, J., Chesebro, J. H. The pathogenesis of coronary artery disease and the acute coronary syndromes. N. Engl. J. Med. 326 (1992) 242–250.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Klurfeld, D. M. Identification of foam cells in human atherosclerotic lesions as macrophages using monoclonal antibodies. Arch. Pathol. Lab. Med. 109 (1985) 445–449.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Benditt, E. P., Benditt, J. M. Evidence for a monoclonal origin of human atherosclerotic plaques. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 70 (1973) 1753–1759.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Ross, R. The pathogenesis of atherosclerosis: a perspective of the 1990s. Nature 362 (1993) 801–809.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Saikku, P., Wang, S. O., Kleemola, M., Brander, E., Rusanen, E., Grayston, J. T. An epidemic of mild pneumonia due to an unusual strain ofChlamydia psittaci. J. Infect. Dis. 151 (1985) 832–839.

    Google Scholar 

  7. Grayston, J. T., Kuo, C. C., Wang, S. P., Altmann, J. A newChlamydia psittaci strain, TWAR, isolated in acute respiratory tract infection. N. Engl. J. Med. 315 (1986) 161–168.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Allegra, L., Blasi, F. Chlamydia pneumoniae infection. Springer Verlag, Milano 1995.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Cook, P. J., Honeybourne, D. Chlamydia pneumoniae. J. Antimicrob. Chemother. 34 (1994) 859–873.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Grayston, J. T., Kuo, C. C., Campbell, L. A., Wang, S. P. Proposal to create theChlamydia pneumoniae sp. nov. forChlamydia TWAR. Intern. J. System. Bacteriol. 39 (1989) 88–90.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Forsey, T., Darouger, S., Treharne, J. D., Jones, B. R., Herring, A. J. Prevalence in human beings of antibodies toChlamydia. IOL-207, an atypical strain ofChlamydia. J. Infect. 12 (1986) 145–152.

    Google Scholar 

  12. Saikku P.: Chlamydia TWAR and its epidemiology. In: Proceedings of the First Conference of the European Society for Chlamydial Research. Stockholm, Almquist & Wiksell International 1988, pp. 7–10.

  13. Saikku, P. The epidemiology and significance ofChlamydia pneumoniae. J. Infect. 25 (Suppl. 1) (1992) 27–34.

    Google Scholar 

  14. Saikku, P., Mattila, K., Nieminen, M. S., Huttunen, J. K., Leinonen, M., Ekmann, M.-R., Mäkelä, P. H., Valtonen, V. Serological evidence of an association of a novelChlamydia, TWAR, with chronic coronary heart disease and acute myocardial infarction. Lancet ii (1988) 983–984.

    Google Scholar 

  15. Linnanmäki, E., Leinonen, M., Mattila, K., Nieminen, M. S., Valtonen, V., Saikku, P. Chlamydia pneumoniae-specific circulating immune complexes in patients with chronic coronary heart disease. Circulation 87 (1993) 1130–1134.

    Google Scholar 

  16. Saikku, P., Leinonen, M., Linnanmöki, E., Mattila, K., Nieminen, M. S., Valtonen, V. Association of immune complexes containing chlamydial lipopolysaccharide with coronary heart disease. In:Bowie, W. R., Caldwell, H. D., Jones, R. P., Mårdh, P.-A., Ridgway, G. I., Schachter, J. (eds.): Chlamydial infections. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge 1990, pp. 449–452.

    Google Scholar 

  17. Dahlen, G. H., Boman, J., Birgander, L. S., Lindblom, B. Lp(a) lipoprotein, IgG, IgA and IgM antibodies toChlamydia pneumoniae and HLA Class II genotype in early coronary artery disease. Atherosclerosis 114 (1995) 165–174.

    Google Scholar 

  18. Gounaris, T. H., Sioula, E., Anagnostopoulou, M., Spirou, P., Zouroudis, M., Kouskos, G., Flessas, L., Pniara, O., Saroglou, G.: Chlamydia pneumoniae (CP) antibodies in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). 35th ICAAC 17–20 Sept. 1995, San Francisco, abstr. LM75.

  19. Grayston, J. T., Kuo, C. C., Campbell, L. A., Benditt, E. P. Chlamydia pneumoniae, strain TWAR and atherosclerosis. Eur. Heart J. 14 (Suppl. K) (1993) 66–71.

    Google Scholar 

  20. Grayston, J. T., Kuo, C. C., Coulson, A. S., Campbell, L. A., Lawrence, R. D., Lee, M. J., Strandness, E. D., Wang, S. P. Chlamydia pneumoniae (TWAR) in atherosclerosis of the carotid artery. Circulation 92 (1995) 3397–3400.

    Google Scholar 

  21. Hahn, D. L., Saikku, P. Chlamydia, smoking and heart disease. Ann. Int. Med. 117 (1992) 71.

    Google Scholar 

  22. Hahn, D. L., Golubjanikow, R. Smoking is a potential confounder of theChlamydia pneumoniae-coronary artery disease association. Arterioscler. Thromb. 12 (1992) 945–947.

    Google Scholar 

  23. Maass, M., Gieffers, J. Prominent serological response toChlamydia pneumoniae in cardiovascular disease. Immunol. Infect. Dis. 6 (1996) 65–70.

    Google Scholar 

  24. Maass, M.: Chlamydia pneumoniae in der Ätiologie respiratorischer und vaskulärer Erkrankungen des Menschen. Habilitationsschrift Lübeck 1996.

  25. MeInick, S. L., Shahar, E., Folsom, A. R., Grayson, J. T. Sorlie, P. D. Wang, S. P., Szklo, M. Past infection byChlamydia pneumoniae strains TWAR and asymptomatic carotid atherosclerosis. Am. J. Med. 95 (1993) 439–445.

    Google Scholar 

  26. Mendall, M. A., Carrington, D., Strachan, D., Patel, P., Molineaux, N., Levi, J., Toosey, T., Camm, A. J., Northfield, T. C. Chlamydia pneumoniae risk factors for seropositivity and association with coronary heart disease. J. Infect. 30 (1995) 121–128.

    Google Scholar 

  27. Paltiel, O., Kark, J. D., Leinonnen, M., Sikku, P. High prevalence of antibodies toChlamydia pneumoniae; determinants of IgG and IgA seropositivity among Jerusalem residents. Epidemiol. Infect. 114 (1995) 465–473.

    Google Scholar 

  28. Sutter, M. C. Lessons for atherosclerosis research from tuberculosis and peptic ulcer. Can. Med. Assoc. J. 152 (1995) 667–670.

    Google Scholar 

  29. Thom, D. H., Wang, S. P., Steward, D. K., Grayston, J. T. Chlamydia pneumoniae strain TWAR antibody and angiographically demonstrated coronary artery disease. In:Bowie, W. R., Caldwell, H. D., Jones, R. P., Mårdh, P.-A., Ridgway, G. L., Schachter, J. (eds.): Chlamydial infections. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge 1990, pp. 453–456.

    Google Scholar 

  30. Miettinen, H., Lehto, S., Saikku, P., Haffner, S. M., Rönnemaa, T., Pyörälä, K., Laasko, M. Association ofChlamydia pneumoniae and acute coronary heart disease events in non-insulin dependent diabetic and non-diabetic subjects in Finland. Eur. Heart J. 17 (1996) 682–688.

    Google Scholar 

  31. Puolakkainen M., Kuo, C. C., Shor, A., Wang, S. P., Grayston, J. T., Campbell, L. A. Serological response toChlamydia pneumoniae in adults with coronary arterial fatty streaks and fibrolipid plaques. J. Clin. Microbiol. 31 (1993) 2212–2214.

    Google Scholar 

  32. Thom, D. H., Grayston, J. T., Siscovick, D. S., Wang, S.-P., Weiss, N. S., Daling, J. R. Association of prior infection withChlamydia pneumoniae and angiographically demonstrated coronary artery disease. JAMA 268 (1992) 68–72.

    Google Scholar 

  33. Kuo, C. C., Shor, A., Campbell, L. A., Fuhushi, H., Patton, D. L., Grayston, J. T. Demonstration ofChlamydia pneumoniae in atherosclerotic lesions of coronary arteries. J. Infect. Dis. 167 (1993) 841–849.

    Google Scholar 

  34. Shor, A., Kuo, C. C., Patton, D. L. Detection ofChlamydia pneumoniae in coronary arterial fatty streaks and atheromatous plaque. S. Afr. Med. J. 82 (1992) 158–161.

    Google Scholar 

  35. Blasi, F., Denti, F., Erba, M., Cosentini, R., Raccanelli, R., Rinaldi, A., Fagetti, L., Esposito, G., Ruberti, U., Allegra, L. Detection ofChlamydia pneumoniae but notHelicobacter pylori in atherosclerotic plaques of aortic aneurysms. J. Clin. Microbiol. 34 (1996) 2766–2769.

    Google Scholar 

  36. Campbell, L. A., O'Brien, E. R., Cappuccio, A. L., Kuo, C. C., Wang, S. P., Stewart, D., Patton, D. L., Cummings, P. K., Grayston, J. T. Detection ofChlamydia pneumoniae TWAR in human coronary atherectomy tissues. J. Infect. Dis. 172 (1995) 585–588.

    Google Scholar 

  37. Enzler, M. J., Smith, T. F., Espy, M., Felmlee, T., Rumberger, J., Rous, M. S., Edwards, W. D., Steckelberg, J.: Inability to detectChlamydia pneumoniae (TWAR) in human autopsy coronary arteries (CA) by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). 35th ICAAC 17–20 Sept. 1995, San Francisco, abstr. LM81.

  38. Muhlestein, J. B., Hammond, E. H., Carlquist, J. F., Radicke, E., Thomson, M. J., Karagounis, L. A., Woods, M. L., Anderson, J. L. Increased incidence ofChlamydia species within the coronary arteries of patients with symptomatic atherosclerotic versus other forms of cardiovascular disease. J. Am. Coll. Cardiol. 27 (1996) 1555–1561.

    Google Scholar 

  39. Ong, G., Thomas, B. J., Mansfield, A. O., Davidson, B. R., Taylor-Robinson, D. Detection and widespread distribution ofChlamydia pneumoniae in the vascular system and its possible implications. J. Clin. Pathol. 49 (1996) 102–106.

    Google Scholar 

  40. Ramirez, J. A. and theChlamydia pneumoniae/Atherosclerosis Study Group: Isolation ofChlamydia pneumoniae from the coronary artery of a patient with coronary atherosclerosis. Ann. Intern. Med. 125 (1996) 979–982.

    Google Scholar 

  41. Weiss, S. M., Boblin, P. M., Gaydos, C. A., Cumming, P., Patton, D. L., Schulhoff, N., Shani, J., Frankel, R., Penney, K., Quinn, T. C., Hammerschlag, M. R. Failure to detectChlamydia pneumoniae in coronary atheromas of patients undergoing atherectomy. J. Infect. Dis. 173 (1996) 957–962.

    Google Scholar 

  42. Ouchi, K., Fujii, B., Kanamoto, Y., Miyazaki, H., Nakazawa, T.: Detection ofChlamydia pneumoniae in atherosclerotic lesions of coronary arteries and large arteries. 35th ICAAC 17–20 Sept. 1995, San Francisco, abstr. K37.

  43. Kuo, C. C., Grayston, J. T., Campbell, L. A., Goo, Y. A., Wissler, R. W., Benditt, E. P. Chlamydia pneumoniae (TWAR) in coronary arteries of young adults (15–34 years old). Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 92 (1995) 6911–6914.

    Google Scholar 

  44. Wesslén, L., Pahlson, C., Lindquist, O., Hjelm, E., Gnarpe, J., Larsson, L. E., Baandrup, U., Eriksson, L., Fohlman, J., Engstrand, L., Linglöf, T., Nyström-Rosander, C., Gnarpes, H., Magnius, L., Rolf, C., Friman, G. An increase in sudden unexpected cardiac deaths among young Swedish orienteers during 1979–1992. Eur. Heart J. 17 (1996) 902–910.

    Google Scholar 

  45. Liuzzo, G., Biasucci, L. M., Gallimore, J. R., Grillo, R. L., Rebuzzi, A. G., Pepys, M. B., Maseri, A. The prognostic value of C-reactive protein and serum amyloid, a protein in severe unstable angina. N. Engl. J. Med. 331 (1994) 412–424.

    Google Scholar 

  46. Kuller, L. H., Tracy, R. P., Shaten, J., Meilan, E. N. Relation of C-reactive protein and coronary heart disease in the MRFIT nested case-control-study. Am. J. Epidemiol. 144 (1996) 537–547.

    Google Scholar 

  47. Yarnell, J. W. G., Baker, I. A., Sweetnam, P. M., Bainton, D., O'Brien, J. R., Whitehead, P. J., Elwood, P. C. Fibrinogen, viscosity, and white blood cell count are major risk factors for ischemic heart disease. The Caerphilly and Speedwell Heart Disease Studies. Circulation 83 (1991) 836–844.

    Google Scholar 

  48. Zalokar, J. B., Richard, J. L., Claude, J. R. Leukocyte count, smoking, and myocardial infarction. N. Engl. J. Med. 304 (1981) 465–468.

    Google Scholar 

  49. Friedmann, G. D., Klatsky, A. L., Siegelaub, A. B. The leukocyte count as a predictor of myocardial infarction. N. Engl. J. Med. 290 (1974) 1275–1278.

    Google Scholar 

  50. Grimm, R. H., Neaton, J. D., Ludwig, W., forthe Multiple Risk Factor Intervention Trial Group Prognostic importance of the white blood cell count for coronary, cancer, and all-cause mortality. JAMA 254 (1985) 1932–1937.

    Google Scholar 

  51. Patel, P., Carrington, D., Strachan, D. P., Leatham, E., Goggin, P., Northfield, T. C., Mendall, M. A. Fibrinogen: a link between chronic infection and coronary heart disease. Lancet 343 (1994) 1634–1635.

    Google Scholar 

  52. Meade, T. W. Fibrinogen and cardiovascular disease. J. Clin. Pathol. 50 (1997) 13–15.

    Google Scholar 

  53. Gaydos, C. A., Summersgill, J. T., Sahney, N. N., Ramirez, J. A., Quinn, T. C. Replication ofChlamydia pneumoniae in vitro in human macrophages, endothelial cells, and aortic artery smooth muscle cells. Infection Immun. 64 (1996) 1614–1620.

    Google Scholar 

  54. Godzik, K. L., O'Brien, E. R., Wang, S. K., Kluo, C. C. In vitro susceptibility of human vascular wall cells to infection withChlamydia pneumoniae. J. Clin. Microbiol. 33 (1995) 2411–2414.

    Google Scholar 

  55. Fong, I. W., Chiu, B., Viira, E., Fong, M., Jang, D., Mahony, J. Rabbit model forChlamydia pneumoniae infection. J. Clin. Microbiol. 35 (1997) 48–52.

    Google Scholar 

  56. Gupta, S., Leatham, E. W., Carrington, D., Mendall, M., Kaski, J. C., Camm, A. J. ElevatedChlamydia pneumoniae antibodies, cardiovascular events, and azithromycin in male survivors of myocardial infarction. Circulation 96 (1997) 404–407.

    Google Scholar 

  57. Stille, W., Just-Nübling, G. Argumente für eine Antibiotika-Therapie der Arteriosklerose. Chemotherapie Journal 6 (1997) 1–5.

    Google Scholar 

  58. Gurfinkel, E., Bozovich, G., Daroca, A., Beck, E., Mautner, B., for the Roxis Study Group: Randomised trial of roxithromycin in non Q-wave coronary syndromes: ROXIS pilot study. Lancet (1997) 404–407.

  59. Ward, M. E. The immunobiology and immunopathology of chlamydial infection. APMIS 103 (1995) 769–796.

    Google Scholar 

  60. Moazed, T. C., Kuo, C. C., Grayston, J. T., Campbell, L. A. Murine models ofChlamydia pneumoniae infection and atherosclerosis. J. Infect. Dis. 175 (1997) 883–890.

    Google Scholar 

  61. Hyman, C. L., Roblin, P. M., Gaydos, C. A., Quinn, T. C., Schachter, J., Hammerschlag, M. R. The prevalence of asymptomatic nasopharyngeal carriage ofChlamydia pneumoniae in subjectively healthy adults. Assessment by polymerase chain reaction-enzyme immunoassay and culture. Clin. Infect. Dis. 20 (1995) 1174–1178.

    Google Scholar 

  62. Saikku, P. ChronicChlamydia pneumoniae infections. In:Allegra, L., Blasi, F. (eds.):Chlamydia pneumoniae infection. Springer Verlag, Milano 1995, pp. 51–64.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Zentrum der Inneren Medizin/Infektiologie, Klinikum der J. W. Goethe-Universität, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, D-60590, Frankfurt/Main, Germany

    W. Stille,  R. Dittmann &  G. Just-Nübling

Authors
  1. W. Stille
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. R. Dittmann
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. G. Just-Nübling
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Stille, W., Dittmann, R. & Just-Nübling, G. Atherosclerosis due to chronic arteritis caused byChlamydia pneumoniae: A tentative hypothesis. Infection 25, 281–285 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01720397

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01720397

Keywords

Search

Navigation