Herpesvirus DNA (Epstein-Barr virus, herpes simplex virus, cytomegalovirus) in circulating monocytes of patients with coronary artery disease.

BACKGROUND

The underlying mechanism of the chronic inflammatory process in atherosclerosis is still unknown. As a possible trigger, several studies in recent years have suggested that different viruses and bacteria are associated with atherosclerotic diseases.

METHODS

We applied polymerase chain reaction to analyse whether Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), herpes simplex virus (HSV), and cytomegalovirus (CMV) DNA could be detected in CD14 + cells from 184 patients with angiographically documented coronary artery disease (CAD) (74 patients with stable angina (SAP), 51 patients with unstable angina (UAP), and 59 patients with myocardial infarction (MI)) and from 52 healthy controls.

RESULTS

In two patients (one patient with SAP, one patient with UAP) with CAD and one healthy control, DNA from CMV was found (p = 0.469). HSV DNA was detected in one patient (SAP) but not in any controls (p = 0.644). EBV DNA was found in nine patients (three patients with SAP, one patient with UAP, five patients with MI), and two controls (p = 0.752).

CONCLUSION

Our data do not support the hypothesis that herpesvirus-infected monocytes are related to the incidence of human coronary atherosclerosis.