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Aim To determine the relationship between periodontal pathogen load and anti-human heat shock protein 60 (h HSP60) antibodies in patients with established cardiovascular disease ( CVD). Materials and Methods Participants were cardiovascular patients ( n = 74) with a previous hospital admission for myocardial infarction. Concurrent periodontal pathogen load of Porphyromonas gingivalis, Fusobacterium nucleatum, Tannerella forsythia and Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans was determined using quantitative real-time PCR. Serum antibodies to these pathogens, GroEL and h HSP60 were determined using an ELISA. Results There was a trend for increasing anti-h HSP60 antibody as the number of bacterial species increased. The strongest positive correlations were found between anti-h HSP60 levels and numbers of T. forsythia ( r = 0.43; p < 0.001) and between anti-h HSP60 and anti-GroEL levels ( r = 0.39; p = 0.001). Patients with extensive periodontal pocketing (≥4 mm) had higher numbers of P. gingivalis and T. forsythia ( p < 0.05) and a higher subgingival pathogen load ( p < 0.05) than patients with minimal pocketing (≤1 site ≥ 4 mm). They also had significantly elevated anti-h HSP60 levels ( p < 0.05). Overall, the highest anti-h HSP60 levels were seen in patients with extensive periodontal pocketing and all four bacterial species. Conclusions In cardiovascular patients, a greater burden of subgingival infection with increased levels of P. gingivalis and T. forsythia is associated with modestly higher anti-h HSP60 levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]