Chlamydia pneumoniaeand Cardiovascular Disease: An Evolutionary Perspective on Infectious Causation and Antibiotic Treatment

Abstract

Evolutionary considerations implicate infectious causation of atherosclerosis and help to resolve different risk factors as parts of an overall process of disease causation. An evolutionary approach also provides insight for the timing of research efforts to provide better control of pathogen evolution. In particular, evolutionary considerations emphasize the need to understand the transmissibility of Chlamydia pneumoniae from systemic infections in order to control the evolution of antibiotic resistance.

Disrupted human–pathogen co-evolution: a model for disease

“…Importantly, a disease need not have an especially large selection coefficient to shape allele frequency distributions in populations, especially over thousands of years (Ewald and Cochran, 2000). In fact, the historical fitness load of peptic ulcers, obtained by multiplying prevalence by selection coefficient, has been estimated to be similar to those for infectious diseases such as meningitis and rubella (Cochran et al, 2000).…”

Evolution, Health and Disease – Darwinian Approaches to Medicine

“…The gene product of the epsilon4 allele has been shown to function as a receptor protein permitting Chlamydia pneumoniae to penetrate the cells of the arterial wall. Thus, all pieces of the puzzle come together and we get close to proof that Chlamydia pneumoniae is causally involved in atherosclerosis (11)(12)(13).…”

Gene/Environment Interaction in Atherosclerosis: An Example of Clinical Medicine as Seen from the Evolutionary Perspective

“…The synergistic effect between the genetic and the environmental risk factors has also been elucidated [14]. The gene product of the epsilon4 allele of the apo E gene functions as a receptor protein permitting C. pneumoniae to penetrate the endothelial cells of the arterial wall.…”