Scientists from the Federal Polytechnic School of Lausanne in Switzerland found that infection with a bacteria that causes gum disease and bad breath can increase the risk of heart disease. study published magazine Genetics and Genomics.
The study included 3,5 thousand people, 6% of whom had a heart attack or other dangerous cardiovascular disease during the 12-year follow-up period. The team tested participants’ blood samples for antibodies against 15 viruses, six bacteria, and one parasite.
The authors found that antibodies to the bacterium Fusobacterium nucleatum were associated with a modest increase in cardiovascular disease risk.
F. nucleatum may contribute to an increased risk due to systemic inflammation in the body, or it may colonize the walls of the arteries, leading to plaque formation in them. Our study adds to the growing evidence that inflammation caused by infections can contribute to the development of coronary heart disease and increase the risk of heart attack,” the scientists explained.