title: Helicobacter species in the human colon.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the prevalence, frequency and colonization patterns of Helicobacter species throughout the colon.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients having initial colonoscopy for nonspecific gastrointestinal disturbance had colonic biopsies taken from up to four sites during colonoscopy and examined for evidence of the Helicobacteraceae family using a group-specific PCR. Serum was also collected and examined for IgG reactivity to Helicobacter pylori.
  
  
  RESULTS
  100 patients had colonoscopy of whom 35 were found to have DNA evidence of Helicobacter species throughout the colon, with 22 having H. pylori. Fifteen patients had a demonstrable serum IgG response to H. pylori that was not always associated with molecular evidence of H. pylori DNA in colon biopsies and vice versa. No specific association with colon disease was found in patients with H. pylori infection.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We found evidence of Helicobacter infection in a significant number of patients presenting for colonoscopy but no specific association between the presence of these bacteria and colon disease. Our finding of disparity between molecular and serological techniques to detect Helicobacter species suggests that future studies should not rely on serology alone to detect these bacteria in the human colon.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Otago, Christchurch, New Zealand. jacqui.keenan@otago.ac.nz
authors.forename: J I
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Keenan
authors.forename: C R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Beaugie
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Jasmann
authors.forename: H C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Potter
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Collett
authors.forename: F A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Frizelle
mesh_terms: D016123:Campylobacter jejuni / Q000302:isolation & purification; D003106:Colon / Q000382:microbiology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012698:Serologic Tests; D016968:Wolinella / Q000302:isolation & purification
chemical_list: D007074:Immunoglobulin G