Jpn. J. Infect. Dis., 54, 225-228, 2001

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Original Article

Non-Specific Interstitial Pneumonia and Chlamydia pneumoniae Infection

Jiro Fujita*, Shuji Bandoh, Michiaki Tokuda, Yuji Ohtsuki¹, Ichiro Yamadori², Takeo Yoshinouchi³ and Toshihiko Ishida

First Department of Internal Medicine, Kagawa Medical University, Miki-cho 1750-1, Kita-gun, Kagawa 761-0793, ¹Department of Pathology, Kochi Medical School, Kochi 783-8505, ²Department of Pathology, National Okayama Medical Center, Okayama 700-8558 and ³Department of Internal Medicine, Nagoya City University, Nagoya 467-8602, Japan

(Received August 14, 2001. Accepted November 6, 2001)

SUMMARY: Recently, the clinical features of non-specific interstitial pneumonia (NSIP) have been described. We hypothesize that recurrent infection caused by Chlamydia pneumoniae may play a role in the pathogenesis of NSIP. To prove this, we quantified serum IgA and IgG antibodies against C. pneumoniae using the enzyme linked-immunosorbent assay kit. The study included 15 patients diagnosed with NSIP, 20 patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD) as disease group, and 27 control subjects. IgA antibody against C. pneumoniae was positive in 12 of 15 patients with NSIP, in 16 of 20 patients with COPD, and in 14 of 27 control subjects. IgG antibody against C. pneumoniae was positive in 14 of 15 patients with NSIP, in 17 of 20 patients with COPD, and in 16 of 27 control subjects. If the cut off value (mean ± 2SD, index more than 3.0) was introduced, IgA and/or IgG antibodies against C. pneumoniae were positive in 8 of 15 patients with NSIP (53.3%), in 9 of 20 patients with COPD (45%), and in 2 of 27 control subjects (7.4%). These results suggest that infection of C. pneumoniae might play a role in the pathogenesis of NSIP.

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