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The Role of Infections and Microbes in Atherosclerosis

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The Role of Microbes in Common Non-Infectious Diseases

Part of the book series: Emerging Infectious Diseases of the 21st Century ((EIDC,volume 1))

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Abstract

The complications of atherosclerosis, heart attacks and strokes, are the leading cause of death worldwide. Atherosclerosis is universally present in all adults but to varying degrees of severity. The biological process in development of the pathology starts in infancy but manifests later in life. The pathogenesis of atherosclerosis is a response to injury and involves chronic low grade inflammation and the repair process. The concept that this disease could be caused by microbes existed for over a century. Atherosclerosis is clearly a multifactorial disease with no single etiology. There is abundant biological evidence to support a plausible role of microbes in chronic or latent infection in the development of atherosclerosis, from initiation of endothelial dysfunction to acceleration of the process, and theoretically to enhance changes conducive to precipitation of acute vascular events. There is strong epidemiological evidence that influenza infection can precipitate acute vascular events [i.e., myocardial infarction] and this can be reduced in the influenza seasons by vaccination. In the past decade or more there has been a decline in interest and research on Chlamydia pneumoniae and periodontitis association with atherosclerosis genesis. This has been replaced by increasing attention of HIV disease association with increased cardiovascular disease, and the possible role of alterations of the bowel microbiota [through dietary habits] in acceleration and progression of this vascular disease.

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    I. W. Fong

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Fong, I.W. (2014). The Role of Infections and Microbes in Atherosclerosis. In: The Role of Microbes in Common Non-Infectious Diseases. Emerging Infectious Diseases of the 21st Century, vol 1. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-1670-2_9

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