Relationship between the severity of hepatitis C virus-related liver disease and the presence of Helicobacter species in the liver: a prospective study.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the presence of Helicobacter species DNA in the liver of chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients with and without cirrhosis as compared to controls, and to identify the bacterial species involved.


METHODS
Seventy-nine consecutive patients (HBV and HIV negative) with a liver sample obtained after liver biopsy or hepatic resection were studied: 41 with CHC without cirrhosis, 12 with CHC and cirrhosis, and 26 controls (HCV negative). Polymerase chain reactions (PCRs) targeting Helicobacter 16S rDNA and species-specific were performed on DNA extracted from the liver. A gastric infection with H pylori was determined by serology and confirmed by 13C-urea breath test.


RESULTS
Overall, Helicobacter 16S rDNA was found in 16 patients (20.2%). Although positive cases tended to be higher in CHC patients with cirrhosis (41.6%) than in those without cirrhosis (17.0%) or in controls (15.4%), the difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.08). H pylori-like DNA was identified in 12 cases and H. pullorum DNA in 2, while 2 cases remained unidentified. Gastric infection with H pylori was found in only 2 of these patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results do not confirm the association of Helicobacter species DNA in the liver of CHC patients with advanced liver disease. The lack of correlation between positive H pylori serology and the presence of H pylori-like DNA in the liver may indicate the presence of a variant of this species.
Castéra
Laurent
L
Service d'Hépato-Gastroentérologie, Hôpital St-André, Bordeaux, France.
Pedeboscq
Anne
A
Rocha
Marcia
M
Le Bail
Brigitte
B
Asencio
Corinne
C
de Lédinghen
Victor
V
Bernard
Pierre-Henri
PH
Laurent
Christophe
C
Lafon
Marie-Edith
ME
Capdepont
Maylis
M
Couzigou
Patrice
P
Bioulac-Sage
Paulette
P
Balabaud
Charles
C
Mégraud
Francis
F
Ménard
Armelle
A
D001706:Biopsy; D017931:DNA Primers; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016998:Helicobacter / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000145:classification / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016174:Hepacivirus; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
D017931:DNA Primers; D004269:DNA, Bacterial