Premium
Serology of Chlamydia pneumoniae in patients with chronic cough
Author(s) -
KIM Woo Jin,
LEE Hui Young,
LEE Mi Eun,
LEE SeungJoon
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
respirology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.857
H-Index - 85
eISSN - 1440-1843
pISSN - 1323-7799
DOI - 10.1111/j.1440-1843.2006.00929.x
Subject(s) - medicine , chlamydia , serology , chronic cough , immunology , chlamydophila pneumoniae , chronic infection , titer , gastroenterology , antibody , chlamydiaceae , immune system , asthma
Objective and background: Chronic cough is one of the more common respiratory symptoms. Controversy exists as to whether Chlamydia infection is associated with chronic cough. As such, the association of chronic cough with serological evidence of Chlamydia pneumoniae ( C. P ) infection and a systemic inflammatory marker was assessed. Methods: Thirty‐seven patients who visited Kangwon National University Hospital for chronic cough between September 2003 and August 2004 and 37 age‐matched healthy controls were evaluated for C. P. antibodies and C‐reactive protein. Chronic infection was defined as an IgG or IgA titre between 1:64 and 1:512, and acute infection was defined as IgM = 1:16 or IgG titre of = 1:512 or IgA = 1:512. A nasopharyngeal swab was evaluated for C. P. DNA using the polymerase chain reaction. Results: The median duration of cough was 3 months (1–240). Nineteen patients (49%) and 19 controls had titres consistent with chronic infection, and the titre difference was not significant ( P = 0.592). Nine patients and two controls had titres consistent with acute infection (24.3% vs. 5.4%). Acute infection was significantly more prevalent in the patients with chronic cough ( P = 0.023). There was no difference in the C‐reactive protein value (0.13 vs. 0.14, P = 0.84). Three patients were positive for C. P. DNA. Conclusion: Acute Chlamydia infection was more prevalent in patients with chronic cough, whereas chronic Chlamydia infection was not. There was no elevation of a systemic inflammatory marker in patients with chronic cough.