Gastrospirillum hominis-associated chronic active gastritis

Abstract

A 16-year-old Caucasian male presented with nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. Endoscopy revealed erythematous antral mucosa with four discrete gastric ulcers. Biopsies showed multiple spiral organisms, 4-6 microns in length, lying in the mucous layer on the surface. The organisms were strongly Giemsa positive and weakly CLOtest positive. They did not stain with Warthin-Starry silver or Gram-Weigert stains. Electron microscopy revealed fragments of Gastrospirillum hominis, with its characteristic spiral shape and length of 4 microns in the plane of section. We believe that this is one of the first reported pediatric cases in North America.