RESUMO
Several reports have evidenced geographic differences in the prevalence of vacA (vacuolating cytotoxin gene) alleles and cagA (cytotoxin-associated gene) status among Helicobacter pylori isolates. We investigated the occurrence of these virulence-associated genes status among our isolates, and their relationship with ulcer disease outcome. Besides, ureA-B polymorphism was studied. One hundred isolates, comprising 32 from patients with ulcer disease (UD) and 68 from patients with non-ulcer dyspepsia (NUD), were analyzed. Eighty-four percent of isolates were cagA-positive without statistically significant difference in prevalence between patients with UD or NUD. Genotype vacA-s1m1 was predominant, although unlike other South American regions, subtype s1am1 occurrence was higher than s1b. The multivariate model used to estimate the predictive value of cagA and vacA status for UD development disclosed infection with vacA-s1am1 isolates as the only variable that increased the risk of UD onset. ureAB fingerprinting showed considerable genetic divergence among isolates, however, confirmed that certain DNA banding profiles are conserved worldwide.