OBJECTIVETo explore the relationship between Chlamydia pneumonia (CP) infection and hypertension as well as the interaction of traditional risk factors and CP infections on hypertension in Chinese Mongolian population.

METHODS1430 inhabitants living in Tongliao city, Inner Mongolia were selected as research subjects, including 488 hypertensives and 942 normotensives. Enzyme-linked immunoassay technique was used to test CP IgG antibody in the blood serum and SPSS 13.0 Microsoft was used to analyze the data.

RESULTSThe prevalence rates of hypertension were significantly different between CP IgG positive and negative groups, However, the trend was attenuated after adjusting age, sex, drinking, smoking, body mass index (BMI) and dyslipidemia. The CP infection rate was significant different in diastolic blood pressure groups, which was significantly higher in 80-84 mm Hg than that in the lowest DBP group. The interaction of chronic CP infection and other traditional risk factors were associated with hypertension in Chinese Mongolian ethnic groups. The ranking with significant sequence from high to low were BMI, dyslipidemia, alcohol intake, sex and age.

CONCLUSIONCP infection was not related to hypertension in Chinese Mongolian ethnic groups but the interaction with other traditional risk factors would increase the risk of developing hypertension.

China ; epidemiology ; Chlamydophila Infections ; epidemiology ; ethnology ; Chlamydophila pneumoniae ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension ; epidemiology ; ethnology ; Immunoglobulin G ; analysis ; Male ; Mongolia ; ethnology ; Seroepidemiologic Studies

The prevalence of feline herpesvirus-1 (FHV-1), feline calicivirus (FCV), and Chlamydophila (C.) felis was studied in cats of an animal shelter in Korea. Total 78 cats without ocular and upper respiratory tract disease were examined. Specimens were obtained from ocular conjunctiva and oropharynx. Using multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and reverse transcription PCR, three pathogens were simultaneously detected. In examined 78 cats, 49 (63%) cats were positive for FHV-1. However, all specimens were negative for C. felis and FCV. In conclusion, many cats recovered from FHV-1 infection remain subclinical carriers in shelter environment.
Animals ; Caliciviridae/genetics ; Caliciviridae Infections/epidemiology/*veterinary ; Cat Diseases/*epidemiology/*microbiology/*virology ; Cats ; Chlamydophila/genetics ; Chlamydophila Infections/epidemiology/*veterinary ; DNA Primers/genetics ; Herpesviridae/genetics ; Herpesviridae Infections/epidemiology/*veterinary ; Housing, Animal ; Korea/epidemiology ; Prevalence ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction

Mycoplasma pneumoniae and Chlamydia pneumoniae have been suggested to take part in the acute exacerbation of bronchial asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Several studies have questioned whether they may play pathogenic roles in connection with bronchial asthma and COPD. This study was designed to evaluate the seroprevalences of M. pneumoniae and C. pneumoniae in stable asthma and COPD patients, and to compare with control patients. The medical records of one hundred forty patients who underwent M. pneumoniae and C. pneumoniae serology were retrospectively reviewed. Seroprevalences of M. pneumoniae and C. pneumoniae in the asthma group (11.1% and 8.3%, respectively) were higher than in the control group (4.4% and 2.2%, respectively) without statistical significance. The seroprevalence of M. pneumoniae in the COPD group (16.9%) was significantly higher than in the control group, and the seroprevalence of C. pneumoniae in the COPD group (3.4%) was higher than in the control group without statistical significance. This study raises important questions about the relation of M. pneumoniae and C. pneumoniae infection with stable asthma or COPD.
Adult ; Aged ; Asthma/*microbiology ; Chlamydophila Infections/*epidemiology ; Chlamydophila pneumoniae/immunology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pneumonia, Mycoplasma/*epidemiology ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive/*microbiology ; Seroepidemiologic Studies

BACKGROUND: Chlamydia pneumoniae is a common cause of respiratory tract infection in adults, but little is known about its role in acute respiratory tract infection in children. The aim of this study was to detect C. pneumoniae by use of the nested polymerase chain reaction (nPCR) in Korean children with acute lower respiratory tract infection. METHODS: This study included 95 nasal aspirates obtained from children of 3 years of age or older with acute lower respiratory tract infection admitted to the Seoul National University Children's Hospital from January 1993 through December 1997. They were all negative by culture for RSV, adenovirus, influenza A and B, parainfluenza 1, 2, and 3. The nPCR was performed by use of two primer pairs (HL-1/HR-1, HM-1/HR-2). After amplification, PCR products were digested with Rsa I to confirm the sequence. RESULTS: C. pneumoniae was detected in one sample taken from an 11-year-old girl. She was referred with fever and productive cough for 10 days and she was revealed to have systemic lupus erythematosus and pneumonia. Her chest radiograph showed a left lower lobe infiltrate. Her fever and cough resolved slowly over 15 days without proper antibiotic therapy for C. pneumoniae. CONCLUSION: This study reveals C. pneumoniae as a cause of pneumonia in Korean children. Further studies are required to reveal the epidemiology and the role of C. pneumoniae in respiratory infection in Korean children.
Adenoviridae ; Adult ; Child* ; Chlamydia* ; Chlamydophila pneumoniae* ; Cough ; Epidemiology ; Female ; Fever ; Humans ; Influenza, Human ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic ; Paramyxoviridae Infections ; Pneumonia ; Polymerase Chain Reaction* ; Radiography, Thoracic ; Respiratory System* ; Respiratory Tract Infections* ; Seoul

Chlamydia pneumoniae infection implicated as an important etiologic factor of atherosclerosis, especially in coronary artery disease (CAD), was found in vitro to be associated with the induction of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). An extracellular matrix metalloproteinase inducer (EMMPRIN)/membrane-type 1 matrix metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP) system which induces and activates MMPs,is suggested to be functional and were upregulated in the failing myocardium. However, the upstream regulation of MMPs by C. pneumoniae within atheroma itself remains unclear. We evaluated the seroepidemiologic study of C. pneumoniae infection in CAD patients (n = 391) and controls (n = 97) and performed histopathological and in vitro analysis in atherosclerotic vascular tissues obtained from patients with seropositive to C. pneumoniae (n = 20), by using immunochemistry for C. pneumoniae, EMMPRIN/MT1-MMP, MMP-2, and MMP-9. The seropositive rates of both anti-C. pneumoniae IgG and IgA were 56.7% in CAD group and 43.3% in control group (P =0.033). Seropositive rate was increased in subgroups of CAD patients without conventional coronary risk factors compared to those with conventional risk factors. Immunoreactivities of EMMPRIN, MT1-MMP, MMP-2, and MMP-9 were increased in the atheromatous plaque itself, predominantly in immunoreactive macrophages/mononuclear cells to C. pneumoniae. Furthermore, Western blot analysis showed that EMMPRIN and MMP-2 were detected more prominently in atherosclerotic tissues infected with C. pneumoniae compared to control tissues. Zymographic analysis revealed that activities of MMP-2 and MMP-9 were more increased in atherosclerotic tissues infected with C. pneumoniae compared to control tissues. The present study demonstrated upstream regulation of MMPs can be induced by C. pneumoniae within atheromatous plaque itself. These findings help to understand the potential role of C. pneumoniae in the progression of atherosclerosis.
Aged ; Animals ; Arteriosclerosis/complications/enzymology/*microbiology/*pathology ; Blotting, Western ; Chlamydia Infections/*complications/enzymology/epidemiology/immunology ; Chlamydophila pneumoniae/immunology/*pathogenicity ; Disease Progression ; Extracellular Matrix/enzymology ; Female ; Gelatinases/*metabolism ; Human ; Immunohistochemistry ; Male ; Matrix Metalloproteinases/*metabolism ; Membrane Glycoproteins/*metabolism ; Middle Aged ; Up-Regulation