Prevalence of antibody to Chlamydia pneumoniae in residents of Japan, the Solomon Islands, and Nepal.

Chie Shimizu Department of General Medicine, Kyushu University Hospital, Fukuoka, Japan.

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Shigeki Nabeshima Department of General Medicine, Kyushu University Hospital, Fukuoka, Japan.

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Kensuke Kikuchi Department of General Medicine, Kyushu University Hospital, Fukuoka, Japan.

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Norihiro Furusyo Department of General Medicine, Kyushu University Hospital, Fukuoka, Japan.

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Seizaburo Kashiwagi Department of General Medicine, Kyushu University Hospital, Fukuoka, Japan.

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Jun Hayashi Department of General Medicine, Kyushu University Hospital, Fukuoka, Japan.

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DOI:
https://doi.org/10.4269/ajtmh.2002.67.170
Volume/Issue:
Volume 67: Issue 2
Page(s):
170–175
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Sera of 4,050 residents from Japan, 276 from the Solomon Islands, and 602 from Nepal were tested by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to determine the prevalence of antibody to Chlamydia pneumoniae. The prevalence of IgG and IgA antibodies was significantly higher in the Solomon Islands (64.9% and 82.2%) and Nepal (73.1%, and 69.8%) than in Japan (53.6% and 41.1%). These prevalence rates increased throughout the teenage years in the Solomon Islands and Japan and leveled off with age, whereas in Nepal the prevalence rates gradually increased with age. The prevalence of a high (> 3.0) IgA antibody index, which is suggestive of acute infection, was significantly higher in the Solomon Islands (34.8%) than in Japan (3.2%) and Nepal (10.5%). The prevalence of IgG antibody ranged from 46.4% to 67.7%, and the prevalence of IgA antibody ranged from 33.7% to 61.8% in the four difference areas of Japan. These findings indicate considerable differences in the prevalence of antibodies to C. pneumoniae by age in these nations and between the regions of Japan tested.

Published Online:
Aug 2002
Cover The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
Print ISSN:
0002-9637
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