Detection of Chlamydophila pneumoniae DNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of blood donors in the north-east of Italy

Recent studies have implicated Chlamydia pneumoniae (now Chlamydophila pneumoniae) in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and demonstrated its presence within human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). In this study the presence of C. pneumoniae DNA was assessed, using nested PCR, in PBMCs from 169 active blood donors as a function of age, of specific antibodies and C-reactive protein. The results obtained demonstrated a high degree of global positivity (46.15%), which was higher in females (52%) than in males (43.7%). Seroepidemiological studies showed a high percentage of positivity both in subjects positive by PCR (65.91%) and negative by PCR (71.74%). The clinical implication of such finding are under study.