Background: Infectious agents, in particular intracellular pathogens that can establish long-term, persistent infection, may play an important role in atherogenesis. We tested the hypothesis that hepatitis A virus (HAV) could be associated with significant coronary artery disease.
Methods: The possible association between HAV infection and angiographically proven coronary artery disease (CAD) was studied. Blood from 218 patients undergoing coronary angiography was tested for serum IgG antibodies to HAV.
Results: Of the 218 patients, 178 (81.7%) had anti-HAV IgG antibodies. CAD prevalence was 66.3% in HAV seropositive and 57.5% in HAV seronegative patients (P=0.385). In contrast, the number of infectious pathogens to which an individual has been exposed correlates with CAD. Four or more of the six seromarkers tested for particular infections (HAV, Chlamydia pneumoniae, Helicobacter pylori, cytomegalovirus, influenza type A and type B) were positive in 48.8% of patients with CAD and in 31.2% of patients in patients without CAD (P=0.02).
Conclusions: This analysis demonstrated that HAV seropositivity is not a predictor of risk for CAD. HAV infection, therefore, seems not to be associated with CAD. The number of infectious agents to which an individual has been exposed ('infectious burden') correlates with CAD.