TY - JOUR T1 - Increased frequency of detection of <em>Chlamydophila pneumoniae</em> in asthma JF - European Respiratory Journal JO - Eur Respir J SP - 745 LP - 749 DO - 10.1183/09031936.04.00049004 VL - 24 IS - 5 AU - G.L. Biscione AU - J. Corne AU - A.J. Chauhan AU - S.L. Johnston Y1 - 2004/11/01 UR - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/24/5/745.abstract N2 - Previous studies have suggested that chronic Chlamydophila pneumoniae infection may play a role in the pathogenesis of asthma. However, most studies have been based on serology and have been unable to differentiate acute from chronic infection. The present authors assessed the presence of acute and chronic C. pneumoniae infection in 74 spouse pairs, each consisting of one atopic asthmatic and one nonatopic nonasthmatic. Nasal secretions were sampled every 2 weeks from October to December and actively replicating C. pneumoniae infection was detected by specific RT-PCR. C. pneumoniae was detected in 31 out of 709 samples analysed, 23 (6.4%) were positive in 362 samples from asthmatic participants and in eight out of 347 (2.3%) samples from their normal spouses (with a significant difference in infection rates, 95% confidence interval: 4.2%, 1.2–7.2%). A total of 16 (22%) asthmatic and seven (9%) normal participants were positive at least once during the study. These data confirm that Chlamydophila pneumoniae infection is detected more frequently among asthmatic participants than normal control participants. Further studies are required to confirm whether infections are also present in the lower airway and whether Chlamydophila pneumoniae infection plays a role in disease pathogenesis. This study received funding from the National Asthma Campaign (Grant 201 to S.L. Johnson) and both J. Corne and A.J. Chauhan were Medical Research Council, UK Clinical Training Fellows. ER -