Helicobacter pylori cagA, vacA and iceA genotypes in northern Thai patients with gastric disease.

Helicobacterpylori, a common infectious bacterium, has been linked to chronic gastritis, peptic ulcer and gastric cancer. Gastric biopsy specimens were obtained from 58 northern Thai patients with gastritis, 28 with gastric ulcer, 45 with duodenal ulcer and 4 with gastric cancer. cagA, vacA s1 and iceA gene was found in 88, 98, and 89% of the specimens, respectively. For vacA, the frequency of subtype s1a, s1c and combined sla and s1c was 40, 16, and 41%, respectively. The frequency of subtype s1a/m1 and s1a/s1c/m1 was 27 and 20%, respectively. Fifty-three patients (39%) were infected with multiple vacA genotypes but there was no association with clinical outcome. cagA positive and mixed vacA s1a and s1c strains were found in significantly more cases of duodenal ulcer than gastritis (p < 0.05). For iceA, subtype iceA1 reached a frequency of 60%, whereas subtype iceA2 was only 24%.

Use of different PCR primers and gastric biopsy tissue from CLO test for the detection of Helicobacter pylori.

Four different DNA loci were assessed for the detection of H. pylori by PCR on gastric biopsy specimens. PCR, with a primer specific 860 bp DNA fragment, was the most sensitive, with a detection limit of 0.02 pg H. pylori DNA, corresponding to approximately 10 organisms. Nested-PCR of the 860-bp DNA fragment was 10-fold more sensitive than single-step PCR. The sensitivity and specificity of the four PCR methods, in comparison to the results obtained from histology and the urease test, are as follows: 80.7% and 76% for the hpaA gene; 100% and 76% for the 16S rRNA gene; 84.6% and 80.0% for the 860-bp DNA fragment; 61.5% and 84.0% for the ureC (glmM) gene, respectively. The sensitivity of nested-PCR for the 860-bp DNA fragment was 100%. This nested-PCR gave positive results for eight specimens which were negative by conventional methods. PCR can be performed on gastric biopsy specimens obtained from the CLO test.

Investigation of the anti-inflammatory effect of Curcuma longa in Helicobacter pylori-infected patients.

Helicobacter pylori infection of the lining of the stomach induces an array of inflammatory cytokine production leading to gastritis and peptic ulcer disease. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of curcumin on the production of interleukin (IL)-8, IL-1beta, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 in gastric mucosa from H. pylori-infected gastritis patients. Patients were randomly assigned to receive either OAM (Omeprazole, Amoxicillin and Metronidazole) treatment or a course of curcumin. Gastric biopsies were collected before and after treatment and were examined for the level of inflammatory cytokines mRNA by semi-quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. The eradication rate of H. pylori in patients that received OAM treatment was significantly higher than the patients that received curcumin (78.9% versus 5.9%). The levels of IL-8 mRNA expression in the OAM group significantly decreased after treatment, but no changes of other cytokines were found. This emphasizes an important role of IL-8 in H. pylori infection. The decreases of cytokine production were not found in the curcumin group. We concluded that curcumin alone may have limited anti-bactericidal effect on H. pylori, and on the production of inflammatory cytokines. Nevertheless, other studies have reported that patients treated with curcumin had relieved symptoms. Further investigation should be carried out as the use of curcumin in combination with therapeutic regimens may be beneficial as an alternative treatment.

Helicobacter pylori cagA, vacA and iceA genotypes in northern Thai patients with gastric disease.

Helicobacterpylori, a common infectious bacterium, has been linked to chronic gastritis, peptic ulcer and gastric cancer. Gastric biopsy specimens were obtained from 58 northern Thai patients with gastritis, 28 with gastric ulcer, 45 with duodenal ulcer and 4 with gastric cancer. cagA, vacA s1 and iceA gene was found in 88, 98, and 89% of the specimens, respectively. For vacA, the frequency of subtype s1a, s1c and combined sla and s1c was 40, 16, and 41%, respectively. The frequency of subtype s1a/m1 and s1a/s1c/m1 was 27 and 20%, respectively. Fifty-three patients (39%) were infected with multiple vacA genotypes but there was no association with clinical outcome. cagA positive and mixed vacA s1a and s1c strains were found in significantly more cases of duodenal ulcer than gastritis (p < 0.05). For iceA, subtype iceA1 reached a frequency of 60%, whereas subtype iceA2 was only 24%.

Use of different PCR primers and gastric biopsy tissue from CLO test for the detection of Helicobacter pylori.

Four different DNA loci were assessed for the detection of H. pylori by PCR on gastric biopsy specimens. PCR, with a primer specific 860 bp DNA fragment, was the most sensitive, with a detection limit of 0.02 pg H. pylori DNA, corresponding to approximately 10 organisms. Nested-PCR of the 860-bp DNA fragment was 10-fold more sensitive than single-step PCR. The sensitivity and specificity of the four PCR methods, in comparison to the results obtained from histology and the urease test, are as follows: 80.7% and 76% for the hpaA gene; 100% and 76% for the 16S rRNA gene; 84.6% and 80.0% for the 860-bp DNA fragment; 61.5% and 84.0% for the ureC (glmM) gene, respectively. The sensitivity of nested-PCR for the 860-bp DNA fragment was 100%. This nested-PCR gave positive results for eight specimens which were negative by conventional methods. PCR can be performed on gastric biopsy specimens obtained from the CLO test.