High prevalence of the CagA-positive Helicobacter pylori strains in Japanese asymptomatic patients and gastric cancer patients.
BACKGROUND
Several studies have shown that infection of Helicobacter pylori strains possessing cagA is associated with atrophic gastritis and gastric cancers.


METHODS
In 58 pairs of early gastric cancer patients and sex- and age-matched controls, isolated H. pylori strains were tested for possession of cagA. The presence of atrophic gastritis was also examined.


RESULTS
Proportions of cagA-positive strains were 100% in cancer patients and 92.3% in controls. Atrophic gastritis was seen in 96.7% and 95.8% of cancer and control patients in whom cagA-positive strains (NS) were detected. However, it was seen in only 20% of H. pylori-negative control patients (P < 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
The present results do not suggest any specific association between cagA-positive strains and gastric cancer. However, frequent prevalence of cagA-positive strains might be associated with the high incidence of atrophic gastritis in Japanese populations.
Shimoyama
T
T
First Dept. of Internal Medicine, Hirosaki University School of Medicine, Japan.
Fukuda
S
S
Tanaka
M
M
Mikami
T
T
Saito
Y
Y
Munakata
A
A
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D001706:Biopsy; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000737:chemistry; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D005757:Gastritis, Atrophic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D005773:Gastroscopy; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology
D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D017931:DNA Primers; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; C080866:cagA protein, Helicobacter pylori