Detection of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato DNA by PCR in serum of patients with clinical symptoms of Lyme borreliosis.

Lyme borreliosis is a disease caused by spirochaetes belonging to the genospecies complex Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.) transmitted by Ixodes ticks.

Measurement of Chlamydia pneumoniae bacterial load in peripheral blood mononuclear cells may be helpful to assess the state of chlamydial infection in patients with carotid atherosclerotic disease.

Background: Chlamydia pneumoniae has been repeatedly associated with atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases. We investigated the pattern of distribution of C. pneumoniae among patients with carotid atherosclerotic disease evaluating chlamydial load in carotid plaque, peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and lymph node from same patient.

Chlamydia pneumoniae infection is associated with coronary artery disease but not implicated in inducing plaque instability.

Background: Many authors have shown an association between Chlamydia pneumoniae (C. pneumoniae) infection and coronary artery disease. However, whether C.

Chlamydia pneumoniae DNA in patients with symptomatic carotid atherosclerotic disease.

Objective: We evaluated the correlation between the presence of Chlamydia pneumoniae in atherosclerotic carotid plaques, lymph nodes, and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), and symptomatic carotid atherosclerotic disease.

Methods: Fifty-one consecutive patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy were enrolled; 18 of the 51 patients had symptomatic disease, whereas 33 had asymptomatic disease. Detection of C pneumoniae DNA in atherosclerotic carotid plaques, lymph nodes, and PBMCs was performed with polymerase chain reaction (PCR).