In a study from the University of Lausanne and elsewhere, scientists found that infection with a bacterium that causes gum disease and bad breath may increase the risk of heart disease.
The study suggests another risk factor that doctors might screen for to identify people at risk of heart disease.
It may also show that treatments for colonization or infection with the oral bacterium Fusobacterium nucleatum may help reduce heart disease risk.
A combination of genetic and environmental risk factors contributes to heart disease, which is responsible for about one-third of all deaths worldwide.
A build-up of plaque in the arteries that supply the heart with blood causes coronary heart disease—the most common type of heart disease—and can also lead to blockages that cause heart attacks.
Previous studies have linked certain infections to an increased risk of plaque build-up.
In the study, the team analyzed genetic information, health data, and blood samples from a subset of 3,459 people who participated in the CoLaus|PsyCoLaus Study—a Swiss population-based cohort.
Of the 3,459 participants, around 6% experienced a heart attack or another harmful cardiovascular event during the 12-year follow-up period.
The team tested participants’ blood samples for the presence of antibodies against 15 viruses, six bacteria, and one parasite.
They found that antibodies against F. nucleatum, a sign of previous or current infection by the bacterium, were linked with a slightly increased risk of a heart disease event.
F. nucleatum might contribute to cardiovascular risk through increased systemic inflammation due to bacterial presence in the mouth, or through direct colonization of the arterial walls or plaque lining the arterial walls.
The team also confirmed that individuals with high genetic risk scores for coronary heart disease are at elevated risk for cardiovascular events, as previous studies have shown.
If future studies confirm the link between F. nucleatum and heart disease, the authors say it may lead to new approaches to identifying those at risk or preventing cardiovascular events.
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The study was conducted by Flavia Hodel et al and published in eLife.
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