[Association between Helicobacter pylori genotype and the severity of gastritis in infected adults].
BACKGROUND
The damaging capacity of Helicobacter pylori is variable and depends, in part, on its genetic polymorphism.


OBJECTIVE
To study H pylori genes vacA, cagA and iceA and the relationship of these genotypes with the features of acute damage in chronic gastritis.


METHODS
Gastric endoscopic biopsies were obtained in 75 adults for pathological study and genetic typification of H pylori by specific PCR.


RESULTS
In only 64 cases, complete information was available. In 53 of these, there was H pylori infection demonstrated by PCR. Twenty one percent had infection by two or more H pylori strains, vacA gene had genotypes s2/m2, s1/m1 and s1/m2 in 36, 25 and 8% of cases respectively, cagA gene was present in 49% of infected patients. iceA gene had genotypes iceA 1 ad iceA 2 in 15 and 60% of patients respectively. The presence of cagA or alleles s1/m1 and s1/m2 of vacA gene was directly correlated with polymorphonuclear infiltration and the severity of epithelial damage. The genotype s2/m2 of vacA gene was significantly associated with a milder or absent mucosal damage. No association was found between iceA alleles and the pathological features of gastritis.


CONCLUSIONS
Alleles of vacA and cagA genes of H pylori are associated with the severity of gastric mucosal damage.
Araya
Juan Carlos
JC
Departamentos de Anatomía Patològica y de Medicina Interna, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile. jcaraya@ufro.cl
Anabalón
Leonardo
L
Roá
Iván
I
Bravo
María
M
Villaseca
Miguel Angel
MA
Guzmán
Pablo
P
Roa
Juan Carlos
JC
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000483:Alleles; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D001706:Biopsy; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D005756:Gastritis / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D005798:Genes, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics*; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D013045:Species Specificity
D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; C408644:IceA2 protein, Helicobacter pylori; C074689:VacA protein, Helicobacter pylori; C080866:cagA protein, Helicobacter pylori; C405087:iceA1 protein, Helicobacter pylori