Association of Bartonella species and Coxiella burnetii infection with coronary artery disease

Abstract

Coronary artery disease is an inflammatory condition associated with several infections. We prospectively evaluated 155 consecutive patients undergoing coronary angiography for evidence of Bartonella species and Coxiella burnetii infection. All Bartonella cultures were found to be negative. Multivariable logistic regression analysis that controlled for potential confounding factors revealed no association between coronary artery disease and seropositivity to Bartonella henselae (odds ratio [OR], 0.852; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.293-2.476), Bartonella quintana (OR, 0.425; 95% CI, 0.127-1.479), C. burnetii phase 1 (OR, undefined), and C. burnetii phase 2 (OR, 0.731; 95% CI, 0.199-2.680). The geometric mean titer (GMT) for C. burnetii phase 1 assay was slightly higher in persons with coronary artery disease than in those without such disease (P < .02). B. henselae, B. quintana, and C. burnetii seropositivity was not strongly associated with coronary artery disease. On the basis of GMTs, C. burnetii infection may have a modest association with coronary artery disease.