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Published on: August 1, 2018

Association of pathogen burden and hypertension: the Persian Gulf Healthy Heart Study

Katayoun Vahdat1, Mohammad Reza Pourbehi, Afshin Ostovar

  • 1Department of Infectious Diseases, Persian Gulf Tropical Medicine Research Centre, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran.

American Journal of Hypertension
|June 8, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Chronic infections from cytomegalovirus (CMV), Chlamydia pneumoniae, herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1), and Helicobacter pylori were studied for links to hypertension. While pathogen burden was not associated with hypertension, coinfection with H. pylori and C. pneumoniae showed a significant link.

Area of Science:

  • Infectious disease epidemiology
  • Cardiovascular health
  • Microbial-host interactions

Background:

  • Chronic infections with cytomegalovirus (CMV), Chlamydia pneumoniae, herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1), and Helicobacter pylori are potential contributors to essential hypertension.
  • The association between the aggregate number of these pathogens (pathogen burden) and hypertension remains unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relationship between individual chronic infections (CMV, C. pneumoniae, HSV-1, H. pylori) and hypertension.
  • To determine if an increased pathogen burden is associated with essential hypertension.
  • To examine the impact of coinfections on hypertension risk.

Main Methods:

  • Sera from 1,754 adults (≥25 years) were analyzed for immunoglobulin G antibodies to C. pneumoniae, HSV-1, H. pylori, and CMV using ELISA.
  • Pathogen burden was defined as the aggregate number of seropositive infections.
  • Hypertension was classified using World Health Organization criteria.

Main Results:

  • Helicobacter pylori seropositivity was independently associated with hypertension (OR = 1.37; P = 0.02).
  • No significant independent association was found between overall pathogen burden and hypertension.
  • Coinfection with H. pylori and C. pneumoniae showed a significant association with hypertension (OR = 1.68; P = 0.008) after adjusting for confounders.

Conclusions:

  • Pathogen burden was not found to be associated with essential hypertension.
  • Coinfection with Chlamydia pneumoniae and Helicobacter pylori demonstrated a significant independent association with essential hypertension, irrespective of cardiovascular risk factors and chronic low-grade inflammation.
Abstract

Keywords:
Chlamydia pneumoniaeHelicobacter pyloriblood pressurecytomegalovirusherpes simplex virushypertensionpathogen.

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