Coronary heart disease (CHD) remains a major cause of human mortality
and morbidity worldwide. Classical risk factors for atherosclerosis fail
to account fully for the wide variations in CHD prevalence and/or
severity between differing populations. The search for hitherto
unrecognised risk factors has recently focused on the potential role of
chronic inflammation and common infections.
Chronic Infection, Chlamydia and Coronary Heart Disease is the first
book to review the wealth of evidence linking various infective agents
with CHD, focusing particularly on the proposed pathogenetic role of the
main candidate microorganism, Chlamydia pneumoniae.
Written by two leading investigators in the field, the book provides a
concise, clearly written and up-to-date account of the diverse lines of
evidence - seroepidemiological, pathological, animal and in vitro
data and clinical antibiotic trials.
The possibility of an infective basis to atherosclerosis and CHD has
already attracted much scientific interest. Chronic Infection,
Chlamydia and Coronary Heart Disease highlights the key published
works on the topic, and concludes with information on existing, ongoing,
and future lines of enquiry.