Chlamydia pneumoniae infection induces inflammatory changes in the aortas of rabbits

Chlamydia pneumoniae, a common human respiratory pathogen, has been associated with atherosclerosis in several seroepidemiological studies. Moreover, its presence in lesions of vessel walls has been demonstrated by culture, immunohistochemistry, PCR, and electron microscopy. In this study, we infected intranasally with C. pneumoniae New Zealand White rabbits which had been fed a normal diet. Reinfection was given 3 weeks later. Six of the nine reinfected animals showed inflammatory changes consisting of intimal thickening or fibroid plaques resembling atherosclerosis in 2 to 4 weeks after reinfection. One rabbit had calcified lesions. Immunohistochemistry for C. pneumoniae was strongly positive in the three older affected animals. No lesions were seen in the controls. The results suggest that C. pneumoniae infection is capable of inducing inflammatory atherosclerosis-like changes in the aortas of infected rabbits.