Overview

• The peer‑reviewed study, published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, analyzed arterial tissue from sudden cardiac death autopsies and from vascular surgery patients in Finland and the UK.
• Viridans streptococcal DNA was detected in roughly 42% of coronary plaques across two cohorts, with biofilm structures identified using a custom antibody and immunohistochemistry.
• Bacteria dispersed from these biofilms were observed in ruptured plaques in some myocardial infarction cases, supporting a proposed inflammation‑driven rupture mechanism.
• The team used bacterial DNA sequencing, targeted antibody staining, and gene‑expression profiling to characterize microbes and local immune responses within plaques.
• Authors note biofilm resistance may explain past negative antibiotic trials and point to potential diagnostics, therapies or vaccines, while stressing the findings remain preliminary.