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Serological evidence of an association between chlamydial infections and malignant lymphomas
Author(s) -
Tarja Anttila,
Tuula Lehtinen,
Maija Lein,
Aini Bloigu,
Pentti Koskela,
Matti Lehtinen,
Pekka Saikku
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
british journal of haematology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.907
H-Index - 186
eISSN - 1365-2141
pISSN - 0007-1048
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2141.1998.00942.x
Subject(s) - serology , immunology , lymphoma , medicine , antibody , immune system , chlamydia , chlamydophila pneumoniae , chlamydiaceae , helicobacter pylori , lung cancer , cancer , chlamydiales , pathology
Chronic infections may predispose to malignant growth. Recently, serological markers of chronic Chlamydia pneumoniae infection have been associated with lung cancer. Our aim was to study the possible association between chronic chlamydial infections and malignant lymphomas. The present case–control study involved 72 patients with lymphoma (31 females and 41 males) and matched controls. 53 patients had non‐Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) and 19 had Hodgkin's disease. The sera, collected at the time of diagnosis, were tested for IgG antibodies and immune complexes to C. pneumoniae and C. trachomatis by a micro‐immunofluorescence method and ELISA and for IgG antibodies and immune complexes to Helicobacter pylori by ELISA. The serological markers suggesting chronic chlamydial infection were associated with malignant lymphoma. The association was most evident for the presence of C. pneumoniae ‐specific immune complexes in NHL (OR = 7.3, 95% CI 2.2–25) and appeared to be limited to men. No association between H. pylori antibodies or immune complexes and malignant lymphomas could be demonstrated. Our study provides seroepidemiological evidence of an association between chronic chlamydial infections and lymphomas.