ABSTRACT
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