Campylobacter pyloridis in the upper gastrointestinal tract: a Brazilian study

Abstract

The successful isolation of C. pyloridis from human gastric mucosa has renewed interest in these bacteria and their role as a causative agent for gastritis, and possible causal relationship between chronic gastritis and peptic ulceration. To determine the incidence of C. pyloridis in gastric biopsies we studied 51 consecutive Brazilian patients with a wide range of alimentary disorders presenting for endoscopy. At least three biopsies were taken from each site: antrum, any ulcer or cancer. Microbiological and histological studies were performed to identify the bacteria. The organism was found in 40/51 (78%) of patients. These was a close correlation between culture (100%), Gram (90%) and Gimenez staining (80%) in identifying the bacteria. All C. pyloridis positive patients had histological evidence of antral chronic gastritis (active or quiescent) even if the endoscopic appearance looked normal. All peptic ulcer patients (n = 17) showed C. pyloridis in the antrum. In the duodenum the bacteria were mainly seen in gastric type of mucosa. Our findings support the hypothesis that C. pyloridis is etiologically related to gastritis and possibly peptic ulceration.