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Common pneumonia bacterium may fuel Alzheimer’s disease
General • February 20, 2026
A
common bacterium best known for
causing pneumonia and sinus
infections may also play a
surprising role in Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers found that Chlamydia pneumoniae can invade the retina and brain, where it sparks inflammation, nerve cell death, and the buildup of amyloid-beta—the hallmark protein linked to Alzheimer’s. Higher levels of the bacterium were found in people with Alzheimer’s, especially those carrying the high-risk APOE4 gene, and were tied to more severe cognitive decline.
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