International specialists in Microbiology, Infectious Diseases, Internal Medicine, Cardiology Immunology, Pneumonology, Neurology and Epidemiology gathered to this workshop to discuss and enhance interdisciplinary knowledge on the possible etiological role of Chlamydia pneumoniae, a widespread human respiratory infection, in the pathogenesis of chronic inflammatory diseases with major public health impact such as atherosclerosis, cardiovascular disease, adult-onset asthma bronchiale, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, reactive arthritis, morbus Alzheimer and multiple sclerosis. Current deficits and goals in the standardisation of diagnostic tools, basic and applied research, design of epidemiological and monitoring of therapy studies were identified. A special feature of this book is the comprehensive collection of state-of-the-art review articles in the various fields with many references.

1 Biology, Immunology and Pathology of Chlamydia Pneumoniae Infections

1.1 Pathogenic mechanisms of chronic Chlamydiainfections
1.2 Biology, immunology and persistence of Chlamydia pneumoniae: Links to chronic disease
1.3 Animal models for Chlamydia pneumoniae infection
1.4 Molecular biology and serodiagnostics of Chlamydia pneumoniae - potential way to a vaccine
2 Diagnosis of Chlamydia pneumoniae Infections
2.1 Direct detection of Chlamydia pneumoniae in atherosclerotic plaques
2.2 Detection of Chlamydia pneumoniae DNA in white blood cells
2.3 Detection of Chlamydia pneumoniae in clinical specimens by PCR-EIA
2.4 State of the art in the diagnosis of acute and chronic Chlamydia pneumoniae infection
3 Chronic Diseases Possibly Associated with Chlamydia pneumoniae Infections
3.1 Epidemiological data on respiratory tract infection with Chlamydia pneumoniae and clinical complications
3.2 Role of C. pneumoniae in severe asthma and COPD: Epidemiology and treatment
3.3.1 Chlamydia pneumoniae in atherosclerosis
3.3.2 Prevalence of Chlamydia pneumoniae in human coronary plaques with acute coronary syndrome
3.3.3 Chlamydial lipopolysaccharide and atherosclerosis
3.3.4 Clinical trial designs to study antibiotic intervention in atherosclerosis
3.3.5 Why antibiotics against Chlamydia pneumoniae for treatment of atherosclerotic disease could fail
3.3.6 Atherosclerosis: Why the search for a causative infectious agent is not warranted
3.4 Chlamydia infections and arthritis
3.5 Chlamydia pneumoniae, APOE genotype, and Alzheimer's disease
3.6 Association of Chlamydia pneumoniae with Multiple Sclerosis: Protocol for detection of C. pneumoniae in the CSF and summary of preliminary results
4 Epidemiology and Public Health Impacts of Chlamydia pneumoniae Infections
4.1 Trends and variations of chronic diseases in populations - Can infectious agents help to solve the puzzles?
4.2 The epidemiology of Chlamydia pneumoniae versus the epidemiology of potential Chlamydial diseases (Atherosclerosis, Multiple Sclerosis, M. Alzheimer)
4.3 The high male mortality of coronary heart diseases can be explained as a result of chronic infection
4.4 The Spandauer Gesundheitstest - Retrospective cohort study on Chlamydia pneumoniae infections and cardiovascular disease - A study concept
4.5 Public health impact of atherosclerosis and Chlamydia pneumoniae infections - What do we know and what to expect from future research
5 Final Discussion: Pro and Contra the Role of Chlamydia pneumoniae in Chronic Diseases
5 Final Discussion: Pro and Contra the Role of Chlamydia pneumoniae in Chronic Diseases.