[Chlamydia pneumoniae and vascular pathology].

An updating of the microbiological and diagnostic characteristics of Chlamydia pneumoniae is carried out, and a hypothesis formulated for its probable role in the production of the atheromatous plaque. Furthermore, the immunological results obtained from patients with peripheral vascular pathology, pneumonia from C. pneumoniae, or other genital processes from C. trachomatis, and a healthy control group are included. The presence of C. pneumoniae was revealed by PCR techniques in biopsies from patients with vascular pathology in a high percentage, particularly in samples from the carotid artery (74%) or the aortic wall (83%). The true pathogenic power of Chlamydia in vascular processes in questioned.