Search PubMed⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “Helicobacter”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 469 records · Page 26Linked to original sources

Detection of Helicobacter in the liver of patients with chronic cholestatic liver diseases.

Helicobacter species were identified in human liver tissues by PCR. Biopsies were obtained from patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis, primary biliary cirrhosis and noncholestatic liver cirrhosis. One set of Helicobacter genus-specific primers and two different primer sets for Helicobacter pylori were used in the PCR-assays. Using Helicobacter genus-specific primers 80% (8/10) of patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis and 90% (9/10) of patients with primary biliary cirrhosis were positive. Seven of these 17 samples were positive using two different primers for H. pylori and Southern blot hybridization. Among the non-cholestatic liver cirrhosis controls, only one sample was positive in the Helicobacter genus-specific PCR-assay. Significantly higher values of alkaline phosphatases and prothrombin complex was found for the patients positive for Helicobacter genus. In conclusion, gene sequences of Helicobacter species and H. pylori were detected in human liver tissue using PCR and DNA hybridization in patients with a cholestatic liver disease, but rarely in noncholestatic liver cirrhosis.

Blotting, Southern↗

Detection of Helicobacter species in the liver of patients with and without primary liver carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Several studies have shown the presence of Helicobacter species in the human biliary tract and in the intestinal tract of animals. In this study, the presence of Helicobacter species in liver samples from patients with primary hepatic carcinomas was evaluated. METHODS: Sixteen liver specimens were studied (8 from patients with primary liver carcinoma and 8 from patients without primary liver carcinoma). Histology with standard stains, culture, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification using two sets of primers located in the 16S ribosomal DNA (rDNA) were used to detect the presence of bacteria. Amplified products were sequenced to determine the genus and species of the bacteria. A search for other genes that were specific for Helicobacter pylori also was carried out by PCR. RESULTS: PCR performed with the 16S rDNA primers revealed the presence of bacteria from the genus Helicobacter in all of the liver specimens from patients with primary liver carcinoma (eight of eight patients) and in one specimen from a patient without primary liver carcinoma (one of eight patients). When the nucleotide sequence of > 80% of the 16S rDNA was determined, the closest similarity was with the 16S rDNA from H. pylori in eight patients. In 1 patient sample from which only 398 nucleotides were sequenced, the closest match was Helicobacter felis. CONCLUSIONS: The results presented in this study indicate that Helicobacter species can be present in the liver of patients with primary hepatic carcinoma, but their eventual role in the carcinogenesis process, although it is plausible, remains to be proven. Based on sequence similarity, it seems that Helicobacter species that are related closely to H. pylori but are distinct from it have been found.

Adult↗

Ultrastructural study of the gastric mucosa and Helicobacter pylori in duodenal ulcer patients.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between Helicobacter pylori and gastric mucosa in control and duodenal ulcer patients at the electron microscopic level. METHODS: Three antral biopsies were taken from each of 20 normal control volunteers and 30 duodenal ulcer patients presented to the gastroenterology unit at Jordan University Hospital for upper endoscopic examination. Each specimen was fixed and processed for electron microscopic study. RESULTS: Two types of Helicobacter pylori were observed and identified by their morphology at electron microscopy. The first one was characterized by double external smooth membranes and homogeneous cytoplasmic contents, and the second type with a characteristic ring-shaped intracytoplasmic vacuole. Electron microscopic examination of normal controls showed normal gastric mucosa and a small number of Helicobacter pylori in 12 out of 20 controls. However, in duodenal ulcer patients, 5 different patterns of interaction between the Helicobacter pylori and gastric mucosa were observed in relation to the severity of the disease. In duodenal ulcer patients, various types of epithelial damage was seen accompanied with a decrease or absence of mucous secretion and with more colonization of bacteria. CONCLUSION: The morphology and pathogenesis of Helicobacter pylori was described in duodenal ulcer patients, and 5 different patterns of contact between Helicobacter pylori and surface epithelium were recognized causing variable degrees of microvillous atrophy and reduced mucous secretion. The vacuolated type of Helicobacter pylori was more adherent to the damaged epithelium and there was a direct relationship between the epithelial damage and bacterial load. In the normal controls, no epithelial damage and scanty bacteria were observed. The various types of epithelial changes of gastric mucosa has initiated more research at electron microscopic level on the immune mechanism of the gastric mucosa to determine the underlying cause of the varying severity of the disease.

Biopsy↗

Prevalence of Helicobacter pylori in Northern Jordan. Endoscopy based study.

OBJECTIVE: Helicobacter pylori infection is considered the most common infection worldwide and is associated with many other disorders. The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of this infection among patients undergoing endoscopy in Northern Jordan. METHODS: Between November 1998 and September 2000, all patients referred from the Gastro-esophageal Clinic to the Endoscopy Unit at Princess Basma Teaching Hospital, Irbid, Northern Jordan were enrolled in this prospective study. For each patient clinical and epidemiological data was collected and endoscopy was performed. At least 3 antral biopsies were obtained from each patient, and these were examined histologically for the presence of gastritis and stained for Helicobacter pylori using modified Giemsa stain. RESULTS: A total of 197 consecutive patients (113 females) with a mean age of 40.2 years (range 15-91 years) were studied. Abdominal pain was the highest presenting symptom. Gastritis 91% and esophagitis 42% were the most frequent endoscopic findings. Gastritis was documented histologically in 183 (93%) of patients. Helicobacter pylori was found in 161 patients (82%), with all of these having histological gastritis. The 11 patients with gastric ulcer, compared to the 51 out of the 59 (86%) patients with duodenal ulcer, showed Helicobacter pylori in their biopsies. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection in patients subjected to an upper gastrointestinal endoscopy in Jordan is high. This study confirms that Helicobacter pylori is significantly associated with gastritis and peptic ulcer. Further studies are needed to determine the types of Helicobacter pylori strains present in Jordan.

Adolescent↗

Detection of rodent Helicobacter spp. by use of fluorogenic nuclease polymerase chain reaction assays.

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis is the standard method for detection of Helicobacter spp. infections in laboratory rodents, with H. hepaticus, H. bilis, and H. typhlonius considered primary pathogens. Fluorogenic nuclease PCR assays that detect all known rodent Helicobacter spp., or that specifically detect H. hepaticus, H. bilis, or H. typhlonius were developed to eliminate post-PCR processing, enhance specificity, and provide quantitative data on starting template concentration. Each fluorogenic PCR assay detected a minimum of 10 copies of target template, had comparable or greater sensitivity when compared directly with corollary gel detection PCR assays, and detected only targeted species when numerous Helicobacter spp. and other enteric bacteria were analyzed. Fluorogenic nuclease PCR analysis of fecal DNA samples obtained from numerous laboratory mice sources detected all samples with positive results by use of Helicobacter spp., H. hepaticus, H. bilis, and/or H. typhlonius gel detection PCR analysis, except for one sample that had positive results by H. typhlonius gel detection PCR but negative results by H. typhlonius fluorogenic nuclease PCR analysis. Among fecal DNA samples that were Helicobacter spp. negative by use of all gel detection PCR assays, the fluorogenic nuclease PCR assays detected target template in only one sample that was positive by use of the Helicobacter spp. and the H. bilis fluorogenic nuclease PCR assays. In conclusion, fluorogenic nuclease PCR assays provide sensitive, specific, and high-throughput diagnostic assays for detection of Helicobacter spp., H. hepaticus, H. bilis, and H. typhlonius in laboratory rodents, and the quantitative data generated by these assays make them potentially useful for bacterial load determination.

Animals↗

Prevalence and clinical characterization of gastric Helicobacter species infection of dogs and cats in Korea.

This study was carried out to evaluate the prevalence and clinical characterizations of gastric Helicobacter spp. infection of dogs and cats in Korea. The prevalence of Helicobacter spp. infection of dogs and cats determined by urease test was 78.4% and 64%, respectively, although Helicobacter genus-specific PCR assay showed that it was 82.3% and 84%. Urease mapping results based on urease test showed that total positive rate of tested tissues from clinically abnormal dogs was significantly higher than that from clinically normal dogs (p=0.0018; Odds ratio = 6.118; 95% Confidence Interval = 1.96-19.103). These findings were consistent with the results of Helicobacter genus-specific PCR assay which showed that positive rate of the fundus (100%) and the antrum (100%) of clinically abnormal dogs was significantly higher than that of same gastric regions of clinically normal dogs (77.5 and 67.5% respectively). In comparison of gastric regions between clinically normal dogs and abnormal dogs, positive rate of urease test for the fundus (100%) and body (90.9%) in clinically abnormal dogs was significantly higher than that of abnormal dogs (72.5% and 57.5% respectively; p<0.05). The results of urease mapping in dogs and cats also indicated that Helicobacter colonization in the fundus was more dense compared with the density in the body and antrum. In Helicobacter species-specific PCR assay for dogs, 32 of 42 fundic tissues (76.2%) were positive for H. heilmannii and two (4.8%) were positive for H. felis. In cats, 18 of 21 fundic tissues (85.7%) were positive for H. heilmannii and 2 (9.5%) were positive for H. felis. Gastritis scores of fundic tissues from clinically abnormal infected dogs were similar to that from noninfected dogs and evidence of upregulation of IL-1beta, IL-8, and TNF-alpha mRNA was not detected in gastric fundic tissues from clinically abnormal infected dogs. This study suggested that Helicobacter spp. infection in domestic dogs including private owned pet dogs and cats is highly prevalent usually with no clinical sign but high density of colonization can be related to gastrointestinal signs

Animals↗

Chronic erosions of the antral mucosa: a sequela of Helicobacter pylori-induced gastritis.

The etiopathogenesis of chronic erosions of the antral mucosa still remains to be clarified. In order to investigate the question as to whether chronic erosions might be a sequela of Helicobacter pylori-induced gastritis, we submitted biopsy material obtained from 250 patients with chronic erosions of the antral mucosa to a histological evaluation. The grading of Helicobacter pylori colonisation, and gastritis was compared with the results of histological evaluation of the biopsy material obtained from 1,196 patients with Helicobacter pylori gastritis, but no lesions of the gastric mucosa. The results of a histological analysis showed that Helicobacter pylori gastritis was present in 99.1 percent of the patients with chronic erosions of the antral mucosa. A comparison of the histological findings in patients with no lesions of the gastric mucosa revealed, that the density of Helicobacter pylori colonization, the severity of the antral gastritis together with its activity were statistically significantly more pronounced (p < 0.001) in patients with chronic erosions. In contrast, no differences in the morphological parameters were seen in the case of corpus mucosa. On the basis of these results, we conclude that chronic erosions of the antral mucosa represent a sequela of Helicobacter pylori gastritis, and that these Helicobacter pylori-induced chronic erosions should, in future, be differentiated from other erosions.

Adult↗

Comparison of magnesium concentration in serum, erythrocytes and gastric tissue in two groups of patients affected by chronic gastritis, Helicobacter pylori negative and positive.

UNLABELLED: Magnesium seems to be an important factor both for acid gastric secretion regulation (together with Ca2+) and for Helicobacter pylori survival and virulence. It can therefore be useful to evaluate if Helicobacter pylori (HP) infection is accompanied by variations in the host Mg availability. In this study serum, erythrocytary and gastric tissue Mg concentration was measured in 36 patients affected by chronic antral gastritis. Based on the presence of Helicobacter pylori infection, the patients were subdivided in two groups: group A: Helicobacter pylori negative, n = 23; group B: Helicobacter pylori positive, n = 13. RESULTS: While no differences were found between the two groups for serum Mg (group A 0.81 +/- 0.07 mm/L, group B 0.81 +/- 0.11 mm/L), both erythrocytary Mg (EMg) and gastric tissue Mg were found significantly lower in the HP positive subjects (erythrocytary Mg: 2.14 +/- 0.55 vs. 1.81 +/- 0.34 mm/L; gastric tissue Mg: 729.2 +/- 333.8 vs. 510.6 +/- 178.8 microg/g of dried tissue for group A and B respectively, p < 0.001 for both determinations). Erythrocytary Mg reduction is a clue of the whole body reduction in Mg availability (and consequently in gastric cells as well); the erythrocytary Mg reduction detected in the present paper for Helicobacter pylori positive patients can weaken gastric cells by impairing their metabolism. The hypothesis submitted is to impair Mg utilization in Helicobacter pylori, in order to improve eradication treatment, and in the meantime to preserve Mg homeostasis in infected cells.

Chronic Disease↗

[Parameters of oxygen metabolism in people living in large metropolitan areas potentially exposed to some carcinogenic environmental factors and infected with Helicobacter pylori].

BACKGROUND: Statistically high prevalence of malignant neoplasm of digestive organs in the city of Łódź encouraged us to make an attempt to evaluate effects of adverse environmental factors and Helicobacter pyroli infection on the selected parameters of oxygen metabolism. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study group consisted of 50 Łódź inhabitants, living and working in the center of the city, exposed to carcinogenic environmental factors. Of this number, 25 subjects were infected with Helicobacter pyroli and 25 subjects were free from the infection. The control group comprised 50 non-exposed persons living in the Łódź voivodship. The control group was also divided into two sub-groups: 25 persons with and 25 persons without Helicobacter pyroli infection. In each subject, blood serum superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity, as well as malonic dialdehyde (MDA) concentration and total plasma antioxidative activity (TAA) were determined. RESULTS: In the group of subjects exposed to carcinogenic environmental factors and also infected with Helicobacter pyroli, activity of SOD, GPx and TAA was lower than in the infected subjects without risk of exposure to adverse environmental factors, but MDA concentrations were found to be higher. The values of the parameters studied did not differ significantly among the Łódź inhabitants without Helicobacter pyroli compared to infected subjects. However, in inhabitants of the Łódź voivodship without Helicobacter pyroli infection, the differences were statistically significant in comparison with the infected group. CONCLUSIONS: The examinations revealed significant disorders of the oxidation-antioxidation system in subjects exposed to carcinogenic environmental factors. An additional factor, i.e., Helicobacter pyroli infection, which potentially impair oxygen metabolism, did not exert significant effect on the inhabitants of Łódź.

Adult↗

Helicobacter pylori is not a risk factor for stress ulcer bleeding in polytraumatized patients.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The pathogenesis of acute stress-related hemorrhage in critically ill polytraumatized patients is uncertain and any role of Helicobacter pylori infection is unknown. The aim of our study was to evaluate the relationship between Helicobacter pylori serological status of patients developing stress-related bleeding and those with no appearance of upper gastrointestinal bleeding. METHODOLOGY: In our single-center prospective cohort study we investigated over a 3-year period all consecutive patients with upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage for Helicobacter pylori infection by serology. Control group comprised 101 such patients with no evidence of hemorrhage. RESULTS: Of 396 assessable patients, stress-related upper gastrointestinal bleeding was observed in 11 (3.1%) patients. Six (55%) of the 11 bleeding patients and 45 (45%) of the 101 control group patients had serological evidence of Helicobacter pylori infection (p=0.5). Bleeding developed significantly more often in patients with more serious injury (for ISS, p=0.04, for TRISS p=0.03). Bleeding patients showed insignificantly higher mortality (36% vs. 15%; p=0.09). CONCLUSIONS: Helicobacter pylori infection was not significantly more prevalent in polytraumatized patients with hemorrhage when compared with control group. Our data suggest that the infection with Helicobacter pylori does not play an important role in bleeding, indicating no causative role for it in upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage of polytraumatized patients. The incidence of bleeding is low and bleeding develops usually later, in the meantime is the Helicobacter pylori infection eradicated with the antibiotics used for another purpose.

Adult↗

[The effect of Helicobacter pylori eradication on prokinetic treatment on the quality of life in functional dyspepsia].

INTRODUCTION: The quality life is impaired in functional dyspepsia. Little is known, however, about the impact of different therapies on the quality of life in this condition. AIM OF STUDY: The scope of this study is to detect the change-over time of the quality of life under two different treatments in functional dyspepsia. METHODS: One-hundred-one Helicobacter pylori positive and 98 Helicobacter pylori negative functional dyspepsia patients have been enrolled in a prospective, controlled study. Organic digestive diseases were excluded by endoscopy and abdominal ultrasound. The quality of life was assessed by a disease-specific questionnaire developed by the MAPI Research Institute, Lyon, France, translated and validated in Hungarian. Helicobacter pylori positive patients received one week triple regimen consisting in 2 x 40 mg pantoprazole + 2 x 1000 mg amoxicillin + 2 x 500 mg clarithromycin followed by on-demand ranitidine (1-2 x 150 mg) during 1 year of follow-up. Control 13C-urea breath test was performed 6 weeks after eradication. Helicobacter pylori negative patients received 3 x 10 mg cisapride for 6 weeks followed by on-demand prokinetic for 1 year. The questionnaire was self-administered at baseline, after 6 weeks and 1 year. RESULTS: The eradication rate of Helicobacter pylori was of 76.4% on an 'intention-to treat' and 82.6% on 'per protocol' analysis. In patients with successful eradication, the standardized and transformed quality of life score increased after 6-8 weeks from 56.2 + 9.8 (95% confidence interval: 53.9-58.4) to 70.8 + 10.7 (68.3-73.5) (p = 0.0001) and to 75.3 + 9.3 (73.2-77.5) at 1 year (p = 0.005). In the patients with failed eradication, the quality of life has not been changed significantly (p = 0.76). The quality of life scores increased in Helicobacter pylori negative cases from 60.0 + 9.8 (58.0-62.0) to 73.3 + 9.6 (71.3 + 75.4) after 6 weeks (p = 0.0001) and to 76.5 + 8.5 (74.5 - 78.4) at 1 year (p = 0.56). The effect size was large in both groups and there were no differences between the treatment arms either at 6-8 weeks (p = 0.11) or after 1 year (p = 0.43). CONCLUSIONS: Eradication of Helicobacter pylori infection and prokinetic treatment lead to significant improvement of the quality of life in functional dyspepsia. The disease-specific questionnaire was sensitive enough to capture the changes over time induced by the given therapies.

2-Pyridinylmethylsulfinylbenzimidazoles↗

Eradication of Helicobacter spp. from a rat breeding colony.

Although Helicobacter spp. have been viewed as bacteria with low pathogenicity, many investigators have shown that these low-grade pathogens have the potential to become a severe threat in immunocompromised, inbred, and transgenic animals. Therefore the presence of Helicobacter spp. in experimental animals is considered to be an unacceptable variable. In this study a formulation of medicated feed was designed and tested in an attempt to eradicate Helicobacter spp. from an infected rat breeding colony. Two feeding protocols were used: 1) treating Helicobacter-infected pregnant dams to produce clean offspring and 2) treating infected adult animals long enough to eliminate the organisms. Bacterial DNA was extracted from feces and amplified using primers that recognized the Helicobacter spp.-specific region of the 16S rRNA gene. Fecal samples from the weanlings from protocol 1 tested negative for Helicobacter spp. at 1 week before and 2 and 12 weeks after weaning. Infected adult rats from protocol 2 tested negative after three cycles of 2 weeks on and 2 weeks off the medicated feed. Animals from both protocols have remained Helicobacter-free for 8 months.

Amoxicillin↗

Eradication of enteric helicobacters in Mongolian gerbils is complicated by the occurrence of Clostridium difficile enterotoxemia.

Outbred Mongolian gerbils from a United States commercial source were examined for colonization with naturally occurring enterohepatic Helicobacter spp. Helicobacter spp. were identified in the cecum and colon by culture and by using genus-specific primers in polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays. Nutritionally balanced triple-antibiotic wafers (containing amoxicillin, metronidazole, and bismuth) used previously to eliminate helicobacter infections in mice were administered in an attempt to eradicate the naturally occurring novel helicobacters in the gerbils. After 7 days of antibiotic treatment, two of the experimental animals died due to Clostridium difficile-associated enterotoxemia. However, at 3 weeks after antibiotic cessation, the surviving three animals had no Helicobacter spp. in the cecum or colon according to PCR analysis. Eradication of Helicobacter spp. using dietary administration of antibiotics was complicated by the presence of toxin-producing C. difficile. An alternate method to develop helicobacter-free gerbils (such as Caesarian rederivation) may be necessary.

Animals↗

The efficacy of furazolidone and metronidazole in the treatment of chronic gastritis associated with Helicobacter (Campylobacter) pylori--a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial.

Seventy-two patients with Helicobacter pylori-associated chronic gastritis were randomized to a 3-week oral treatment with furazolidone 0.1g t.i.d. or metronidazole 0.2g t.i.d. or placebo. Endoscopy was performed before and after treatment, and biopsy specimens were taken from the antrum of the stomach for histological examination and culture of Helicobacter pylori. Disappearance rates of Helicobacter pylori in furazolidone, metronidazole and the control groups were 74% (20/27) if considering completion of therapy, the 20/25 or 80%, 33.3% (8/24) and 14.3% (3/21) respectively. There was a significant difference in the disappearance rate of Helicobacter pylori between furazolidone and metronidazole, and between furazolidone and the placebo group (p less than 0.01), but there was no such difference between metronidazole and the placebo group (p greater than 0.05). In the patients receiving furazolidone, the eradication of Helicobacter pylori was accompanied by marked improvement in both inflammatory infiltration in the gastric mucosa and symptoms. These results reasonably suggest that Helicobacter pylori may play an etiological role in the pathogenesis of chronic gastritis, and that furazolidone is effective in the treatment of Helicobacter pylori-associated chronic gastritis.

Adolescent↗

[Presence of Helicobacter pylori in the duodenum, antrum, and fundus in control subjects and patients with duodenal ulcer, gastric ulcer, gastritis, or erosive duodenitis. Histological analysis of 357 subjects].

The prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection was studied in 152 subjects with a normal upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, 125 with duodenal ulcer, 25 with gastric ulcer, 46 with erosive gastritis and 9 with erosive duodenitis. Two biopsies from duodenum, antrum and fundus were obtained from each subject during endoscopy for histological diagnosis and Helicobacter pylori search. None of the patients with normal endoscopy and 2% of patients with duodenal ulcers had Helicobacter pylori in duodenal biopsies. These last patients had a significantly higher frequency of Helicobacter pylori in the antrum (71%) than the rest of the studied groups. Five percent of subjects with normal endoscopy and 5% of those with duodenal ulcers had Helicobacter pylori in the antrum. An active gastritis was demonstrated in almost all patients with Helicobacter infection. Intestinal metaplasia occurred almost exclusively in the absence of Helicobacter pylori infection.

Adolescent↗

Helicobacter pylori: 200 patients with a follow-up of 5 years. An observation endoscopic study.

OBJECTIVES: As data on the long-term effects of Helicobacter pylori infection are limited, our aim was to review patients seen repeatedly at endoscopy with biopsies for a minimal period of 5 years. METHODS: The records of 200 patients who had at least two endoscopic examinations with antral biopsies and touch cytology (imprints from biopsies) with an interval of at least 60 months between the first and the last endoscopy. Helicobacter pylori diagnosis was based on the smear. RESULTS: At the first endoscopy, 57% had Helicobacter pylori on the smear, 70% had chronic gastritis on biopsy. During a mean follow-up of 70 months, a colonization rate of 3% per year and an eradication rate of 1% per year were observed. Helicobacter pylori status remained unchanged in 89%. During follow-up, duodenal ulcer was diagnosed at endoscopy in 21 patients, with a significantly (p < 0.05) higher frequency in Helicobacter pylori positive patients, in the presence of gastritis and in men. In two patients, the sequence of colonization and later duodenal ulcer was observed. CONCLUSION: Our retrospective observation study based on endoscopy confirms the chronicity of Helicobacter pylori infection and the low incidence of colonization and eradication. Duodenal ulcer occurred more frequently in Helicobacter pylori positive patients.

Adolescent↗

[The significance of Helicobacter pylori infection in the etiology of abdominal pain in children].

Chronic and recurrent abdominal pain are frequent diagnostic problems in school age and adolescent children. The authors examined the IgG antibodies to Helicobacter pylori using ELISA in a group of 91 children. Positive results were found in 20 children, i.e. 22%. All children positive for Helicobacter pylori antibodies underwent an endoscopic examination with bioptic sampling of the gastric and duodenal mucosa. Bioptic samples were examined histologically and Helicobacter pylori was identified microscopically and using urease tests and cultivation. All 20 children with antibodies to Helicobacter pylori had histological evidence of chronic gastritis in the gastric antrum and infection with Helicobacter pylori was found in 16 cases. Detection of Helicobacter pylori IgG antibodies is useful in the selection of patients for endoscopic examination of the stomach and duodenum. Endoscopy is relevant also where antibodies to Helicobacter pylori are negative and the characteristic picture of chronic disease of the upper gastrointestinal tract is present.

Abdominal Pain↗

[Helicobacter pylori: studies in domestic swine].

In the course of 15 month, 240 stomachs from pigs slaughtered in three different slaughterhouses were examined for the presence of Helicobacter pylori. In 52.5% of the stomachs, gram-negative curved or spiral shaped bacteria were found, which during the following biochemical analyses were demonstrated to be urease negative. Helicobacter pylori could not be isolated from any of the stomachs. In addition, we conducted four separate experiments on five to eight weeks old piglets in order to determine whether they could be infected by the germ. In the first experiment, the piglets were starved for 24 hours and then driven for five minutes, before an elevated dose of Helicobacter pylori-germs was administrated orally. In the second experiment, acetylsalicylic acid, which is known to damage the stomach lining, was given, even on a damaged mucosa, a dose of 5 x 10(9) living germs could not provoke an infection by Helicobacter pylori. In the third experiment the piglets were given cimetidine, which reduces the production of stomach acid. This measure was presumed to facilitate the penetration of Helicobacter pylori from the stomach cavity underneath the protective mucus. The administration of Helicobacter pylori following the cimetidine-medication proved to be unsuccessful. In addition to culturing and the biochemical analyses employed in the three afore mentioned experiments, the fourth experiment included the identification of the germ means of a breath-analyzing test (with 13C-urea), as is used in medical diagnosis of helicobacteriosis. In these pigs too, infection with Helicobacter pylori was unsuccessful.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Abattoirs↗