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*Chlamydophila psittaci is a lethal intracellular bacterial species that may cause endemic avian chlamydiosis, epizootic outbreaks in mammals, and respiratory psittacosis in humans. Chlamydophila psittaci is transmitted by inhalation, contact or ingestion among birds and to mammals. Psittacosis in birds and in humans often starts with flu-like symptoms and becomes a life-threatening pneumonia.
Objective:
Recent evidence indicates that subclinical infection by Chlamydophila psittaci occurs in a significant percentage of patients with chronic inflammatory polyarthritis, including psoriatic arthritis.
Methods:
The presence of a subclinical C. psittaci infection was investigated in 64 patients with psoriasis, including 12 patients with psoriatic arthritis. Two hundred twenty-five healthy controls were also investigated. The presence of infection was assessed in peripheral blood mononuclear cells using several PCR protocols, targeting different regions of the bacterial genome. The DNA of other Chlamydia spp (C. pneumoniae and C. trachomatis) was also investigated.
Results:
C. psittaci infection was observed in a significantly higher percentage of patients with psoriasis (11/64; 17.2%) compared to healthy controls (1/225, 0.4% in healthy donors; OR:46.49, 95%CI:5.87 to 368.03, p<0.0001).
No differences in age, sex, disease duration were noticed between positive and negative patients, but the majority of the positive patients were on immunomodulatory treatments.
Conclusion:
C. psittaci may be an infectious trigger possibly involved in the pathogenesis of psoriasis.
Source: onlinelibrary.wiley.com
Objective:
Recent evidence indicates that subclinical infection by Chlamydophila psittaci occurs in a significant percentage of patients with chronic inflammatory polyarthritis, including psoriatic arthritis.
Methods:
The presence of a subclinical C. psittaci infection was investigated in 64 patients with psoriasis, including 12 patients with psoriatic arthritis. Two hundred twenty-five healthy controls were also investigated. The presence of infection was assessed in peripheral blood mononuclear cells using several PCR protocols, targeting different regions of the bacterial genome. The DNA of other Chlamydia spp (C. pneumoniae and C. trachomatis) was also investigated.
Results:
C. psittaci infection was observed in a significantly higher percentage of patients with psoriasis (11/64; 17.2%) compared to healthy controls (1/225, 0.4% in healthy donors; OR:46.49, 95%CI:5.87 to 368.03, p<0.0001).
No differences in age, sex, disease duration were noticed between positive and negative patients, but the majority of the positive patients were on immunomodulatory treatments.
Conclusion:
C. psittaci may be an infectious trigger possibly involved in the pathogenesis of psoriasis.
Source: onlinelibrary.wiley.com