Blasi F, Fagetti L, Allegra L
Istituto di Tisiologia e Malattie dell'Apparato Respiratorio, Università degli Studi di Milano, Pad. Litta, IRCCS Ospedale Maggiore di Milano, I-20122 Milan, Italy.
J Infect Dis. 2000 Jun;181 Suppl 3:S444-6. doi: 10.1086/315621.
Italian investigations have shown an association between Chlamydia pneumoniae infection and atherosclerosis. With the use of several diagnostic techniques, including serology, a microimmunofluorescence test, and nucleic acid amplification methods, a temporal association was found between acute C. pneumoniae reinfection and acute myocardial infarction, suggesting that an acute infection superimposed on a chronic or latent infection may trigger the onset of acute myocardial infarction. C. pneumoniae but not Helicobacter pylori or Mycoplasma pneumoniae was found in atherosclerotic plaques of abdominal aortic aneurysms and the carotid artery. A reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction process confirmed the presence of viable C. pneumoniae in carotid atheromas. Nucleic amplification of peripheral blood mononuclear cells may enable the identification of subjects carrying C. pneumoniae in the vascular wall. Macrolide treatment reduced fibrinogen and C-reactive protein plasma levels and C. pneumoniae burden in patients with atherosclerotic diseases.
意大利的调查显示，肺炎衣原体感染与动脉粥样硬化之间存在关联。通过使用包括血清学、微量免疫荧光试验和核酸扩增方法在内的多种诊断技术，发现急性肺炎衣原体再次感染与急性心肌梗死之间存在时间上的关联，这表明叠加在慢性或潜伏感染之上的急性感染可能触发急性心肌梗死的发作。在腹主动脉瘤和颈动脉的动脉粥样硬化斑块中发现了肺炎衣原体，但未发现幽门螺杆菌或肺炎支原体。逆转录酶-聚合酶链反应过程证实了颈动脉粥样硬化斑块中存在活的肺炎衣原体。对外周血单核细胞进行核酸扩增可能有助于识别血管壁中携带肺炎衣原体的个体。大环内酯类药物治疗可降低动脉粥样硬化疾病患者的纤维蛋白原和C反应蛋白血浆水平以及肺炎衣原体负荷。
