Centre for Eye Research Australia, The University of Melbourne
Melbourne, Australia
Chlamydia Pneumonia Infection and Incidence of Age-Related Macular Degeneration
Principal Investigator
Project Summary
Recent studies have indicated an inflammatory component in the development of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). It is biologically plausible that such an inflammation is either caused by or aggravated in the presence of chronic infection. Two cross-sectional studies have demonstrated the prevalence of antibodies to Chlamydia pneumonia elementary bodies to be significantly higher in subjects with AMD compared to age matched controls. Dr. Robman believes that Chlamydia pneumonia infection may play a causal role in the development of AMD and therefore aims to test an association between exposure to the Chlamydia pneumonia infection and the incidence of early AMD. If the causative link between Chlamydia pneumonia infection and development of AMD is confirmed, long-term clinical trials of antibiotic therapy will be necessary to confirm or refute a pathogenic role for these organisms.
Publications
Robman L, Mahdi O, Wang JJ, Taylor H, Mitchell P, Byrne G, Guymer R. Age-related macular degeneration and exposure to Chlamydia pneumoniae. In: Chlamydial infections. Proceedings of the 11th International Symposium on Human Chlamydial Infections Max Chernetsky et al Editors 2006:571-74 [conference abstract] L Robman, O S. Mahdi, JJ Wang,, G Burlutsky, P Mitchell, G Byrne, R Guymer, H Taylor Exposure to Chlamydia pneumoniae infection and age-related macular degeneration: The Blue Mountains Eye Study. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2007, 48, (9):4007-11. 
Guymer R, Robman L. Chlamydia pneumoniae and Age-related macular degeneration: a role in pathogenesis or merely a chance association? Clin Exp Ophthalmol. 2007;35: 89-93.
First published on: June 11, 2008
Last modified on: December 22, 2024