Research in the BioScience Center
Increasing evidence suggests that the bacteria that cause gum disease (periodontitis) may cause or promote atherosclerotic heart disease by increasing inflammation and possibly colonizing atherosclerotic plaques. The systemic inflammation from chronic infection is likely to exacerbate atherosclerosis, heart failure, diabetes, and the metabolic syndrome.
The bacteria that colonize our intestines may also contribute to obesity by increasing the extraction of calories from food and by changing our metabolism. Obesity has reached epidemic proportions in the USA and is becoming a problem worldwide.
Pathogenic infections also contribute to heart disease, especially Coxsackievirus and the parasitic protozoan that causes Chagas Disease, Trypanosoma cruzii. Chagas Disease, more commonly seen in tropical Latin America, is becoming more prevalent in the USA, possibly due to global warming and the spread of the host insect vectors that spread the trypanosomes.
It is of paramount importance to bring together cardiologists, immunologists, and microbiologists for focused research. We will also involve the School of Public Health to implement education, treatment, and prevention on a local and global basis.
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