ABSTRACT
Chronic infections as potential culprits in the vascular inflammatory response have received renewed interest since the critical role of inflammation in the evolution, progression, and destabilization of atherothrombosis has been recognized. Periodontitis is a common chronic inflammatory disease in the periodontal tissue leading to destruction of the bone surrounding the teeth, and is responsible for tooth loss in adults. Infectious organisms can infect one or more types of cells relevant to atherothrombosis leading to a host of changes that could promote atherosclerosis, plaque disruption, and thrombosis. Several bacteria have been implicated with atherothrombosis and include Chlamydia pneumoniae, Helicobacter pylori and Porphyromonas gingivali. The hypothesis that infectious organisms may contribute to atherothrombosis, directly or indirectly through immune activation and systemic inflammation, is a focus of intense scrutiny. A number of large scale, randomized trials of antibiotics have been disappointing in terms of lack of benefits of anti-chlamydial therapy.
