[Infections with Chlamydia pneumoniae, Helicobacter pylori or cytomegalovirus and atherosclerosis].

It's known that common risk factors of atherosclerosis can explain only 50% of its etiology. In only 40% patients risk factors modification inhibits progression of atherosclerosis. Therefore looking for new risk factors of atherosclerosis is necessary. In recent years the inflammatory-infectious hypothesis of atherosclerosis has been reevaluated. The discovery of heavy infections load in the serum of patients with acute coronary syndromes might suggest a potential immunological mechanism triggered by bacterial proteins. Chlamydia pneumoniae, Helicobacter pylori and cytomegalovirus infections are very common in human population and therefore they are suspected as the main infectious pathogen in the coronary disease. Clinical studies have demonstrated higher anti-Chlamydia and ani-Helicobacter antibody titres in patients with myocardial infarction (60-70% pts), stable and unstable angina (50-60% pts) than in control groups (12-15% pts). Two studies were performed with antibiotic (azotromycin, roxitromycin) influence on the prevalence of acute coronary syndromes after myocardial infarction and unstable angina. These studies have shown statistically significant reduction of the prevalence of acute coronary episodes in follow-up period.