Acute ischemic brain stroke is associated with the consequences of Chlamydia pneumoniae infection

Ischemic brain Stroke is associated with chronic inflammation and elevation of several cytokines such as Tumor Necrosis Factor alpha [TNF-alpha] and Interleukin [IL]-8 [IL-8] which are correlated with CNS injury and stroke.Chlamydia pneumoniae [CP] was suggested to be an independent riskfactor for stroke. Atherosclerosis may be a manifestation of chronic or persistent CP infection in the atherosclerotic plaque. To investigate the effect of live CP and chlamydial lipopolysaccharide [LPS] on the production of TNF-alpha and IL-8, and to study the levels of anti-CP IgG antibodies in the first acute ischemic stroke patients. Venous blood samples were collected in EDTA tubes from patients who had first time acute ischemic stroke [n=14] and from healthy subjects [controls] [n=14]. Leukocytes were isolated and cultured either non-stimulated or stimulated with chlamydial LPS and live CP. Intracellular cytokine production was detected by immunocytochemistry. Anti-CP IgG and IgA antibodies were detected by enzyme immunoassay [EIA]. The data showed significant increase of chlamydial stimulated and non-stimulated TNF-alpha and IL-8 production in patients compared to control [P<0.03]. There were a significant increase in anti-CP IgG antibodies in stroke patients compared to controls [P<0.0001]. The study concluded that pathological changes in acute brain stroke might be a consequence of CP infections that mediated induction of potential proinflammatory cytokines

possible role for chlamydia pneumoniae in vaso-occlusive crisis in sickle cell disease

Vaso-occlusive crisis [VOC] is the most common complication in sickle cell disease [SCD]; it causes a wide spectrum of end-organ damage, a process found to be mediated by inflammatory responses. Through activating endothelial and immune cells, Chlamydia pneumoniae [Cp] infection was postulated to be a factor in the morbidity of acute chest syndrome in sickle cell patients [SCP]. To provide serological evidence of a possible role of Cp in VOC in SCD by investigating the occurrence of Cp IgG and IgA antibodies in SCD patients compared to control subjects. Open Controlled Trial. Bahrain Defense Force Hospital and Princess Al Jawhara Center for Molecular Medicine, Arabian Gulf University Bahrain. Venous blood samples were collected from one hundred and twelve patients who had acute phase of VOC and from one hundred and twelve controls. Anti-Cp IgG and IgA antibodies were detected by using species specific Cp IgG and IgA enzyme immunoassay [EIA] kits, in both patients and controls sera. Parametric comparisons were performed using t-test. The results showed a significant difference in Cp IgG and IgA antibodies prevalence between patients and controls [P<0.0001]. Dual Cp IgG and IgA seropositive were higher in patients than controls. The study provided serological evidence of a possible role of Cp infection in VOC in the SCD