title: Sarcina organisms in the gastrointestinal tract:  a clinicopathologic and molecular study.
abstract: Sarcina organisms were first observed in and recorded from the stomach contents of a patient suffering from vomiting by John Goodsir in 1842. Since that time, their fine structure, phylogenetic classification, and biochemical characteristics have been described. Although numerous cases of fatal disease have been attributed to this organism in the veterinary literature, only a few human cases have been documented. As a result, whether this organism causes disease in humans has not been definitively established. We report the clinicopathologic findings in a series of 5 patients with Sarcina-like organisms identified in upper gastrointestinal endoscopic biopsies with molecular confirmation. Our findings have shown that the organism is most commonly found in patients with a history of gastric outlet obstruction or delayed gastric emptying. Although many of the patients do not demonstrate direct mucosal injury from the organism, the presence of a concurrent gastric ulcer puts the patient at increased risk for complications such as emphysematous gastritis or perforation. The finding of Sarcina organisms should prompt further investigation for functional causes of gastric outlet obstruction and delayed gastric emptying, such as occult malignancy.
authors: Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA.
authors: Dora
authors: D
authors: Lam-Himlin
authors: Athanasios C
authors: AC
authors: Tsiatis
authors: Elizabeth
authors: E
authors: Montgomery
authors: Rish K
authors: RK
authors: Pai
authors: J Ahmad
authors: JA
authors: Brown
authors: Mohammad
authors: M
authors: Razavi
authors: Laura
authors: L
authors: Lamps
authors: James R
authors: JR
authors: Eshleman
authors: Belur
authors: B
authors: Bhagavan
authors: Robert A
authors: RA
authors: Anders
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015142:Baltimore; D001706:Biopsy; D002648:Child; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D016099:Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal; D005260:Female; D017219:Gastric Outlet Obstruction / Q000150:complications; D018589:Gastroparesis / Q000150:complications; D016908:Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000032:analysis; D021521:Ribotyping; D012307:Risk Factors; D012505:Sarcina / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D013270:Stomach / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D013276:Stomach Ulcer / Q000150:complications
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S