| An increased frequency
of chronic infection with Chlamydia pneumoniae is seen in patients
with asthma, researchers report in the April issue of the American
Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
Dr. Michael Roth,
who is currently at the University of Sydney in Campersdown,
New South Wales, Australia, and colleagues in Europe note
that there is accumulating evidence that respiratory tract
infections, including C. pneumoniae, "play an important role
in the pathogenesis of asthma."
To investigate,
the researchers compared sera from 33 subjects with a history
of asthma, airway hyperresponsiveness and reduced lung function
(FEV1) with those of 33 age-, sex- and location-matched controls.
None had signs
of acute infection, but examination of serum samples showed
that 63.6% of the asthma group and 57.5% of the control group
had had C. pneumoniae infection in the past. Furthermore,
C. pneumoniae-specific IgA was detected in 52% of asthmatics
and 15% of controls.
Serological evidence
of chronic infection as evinced by high levels of IGA and
IgG was seen in 18.2% of asthmatics compared to 3.0% of controls.
Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2001;163:1097-1100.
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