Korean J Infect Dis.  1999 Aug;31(4):298-302.

Detection of Chlamydia pneumoniae in Atherosclerotic Tissue on Electron Microscopy

• Kim SJ
• Kim YJ
• Maeng KY

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Chlamydia pneumoniae is an obligate intracellular organism, which can cause respiratory tract infections, exacerbation of asthma, and possibly atherosclerosis. Detection of C. pneumoniae in the atherosclerotic tissue was made using electron microscopy to elucidate the correlation between C. pneumoniae and atherosclerosis.
METHODS
Ten cases of paraffin-embedded atherectomy tissue, which were positive in the immunohistochemistry (IHC) were prepared to demonstrate C. pneumoniae on the electron microscope. Two cases of atherosclerotic tissue, which were negative in IHC were processed identically at the same time as negative controls. The tissues were embedded in resin, ultrathin-sectioned, and stained with uranyl acetate and lead citrate, and then observed on electron microscopy.
RESULTS
Nine of 10 (90%) atherosclerotic tissue samples were positive for C. pneumoniae on electron microscopy. Negative controls did not show elementary bodies. Elementary bodies of C. pneumoniae were rarely observed in a scattered pattern in the positive specimens.
CONCLUSION
Elementary bodies of C. pneumoniae could be demonstrated on electron microscopy in 9 out of 10 atherosclerotic tissue samples with positive IHC for C. pneumoniae. This finding suggests that C. pneumoniae may play an important role in atherogenesis.

Keyword

Chlamydia pneumoniae; Atherosclerosis; Electron microscopy; Elementary body

MeSH Terms

Asthma
Atherectomy
Atherosclerosis
Chlamydia*
Chlamydophila pneumoniae*
Citric Acid
Immunohistochemistry
Microscopy, Electron*
Pneumonia
Respiratory Tract Infections
Citric Acid