A 20-minute breath test for helicobacter pylori

In this study, we evaluated a simplified rapid 14C-urea breath test for the diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori. Fasting patients undergoing initial assessment for H. pylori drank 5 microCi of 14C-urea in 20 ml of water. Breath was collected at intervals for 30 min. Samples were counted in a beta-counter, and the results were expressed as counts per minute (cpm). In the same week, patients underwent endoscopy, and a blinded investigator examined biopsy samples of gastric mucosa by culture and histology for H. pylori. There were 49 H. pylori-negative (HP-) and 104 H. pylori-positive (HP+) patients in the study. HP+ patients expired a mean of 4398 cpm (SD 2468) per mmol CO2 in a sample taken 20 min after ingestion of the isotope. In contrast, HP--patients expired only 340 cpm (SD 196). If the mean +3 SD of HP- patients was used as a cutoff value, the 20-minute sample gave a sensitivity of 97% and a specificity of 100% for detecting H. pylori. The radiation exposure from this test is less than 1% of that received from an upper gastrointestinal series, and the short collection time makes it both convenient and cost effective.

Virulence and pathogenicity of Helicobacter pylori

H. pylori is a highly virulent organism as evidenced by its low infective dose and widespread high prevalence in human populations. Its virulence is achieved through its ability to survive in a moist environment and its massive urease production which allows it to survive in the acidic gastric juice long enough to colonize the gastric mucus. Gastric colonization is facilitated by cell wall associated lectins which permit the bacterium to bind to gastric mucus and the gastric epithelial cell. Once in this location, H. pylori produces several enzymes which may harm the gastric epithelium, particularly urease (through ammonia generation) and phospholipases A and C. H. pylori also weakens the gastric mucous layer by digesting its glycoproteins and lipids, making the mucus less hydrophobic and more water soluble. Helicobacter pylori attracts phagocytic cells, inducing both acute and chronic inflammation as well as an antibody response. Persistence of H. pylori in the mucosa may be enhanced by its cytotoxin and catalase production, by which it survives after phagocytosis by neutrophils.

Urea protects Helicobacter (Campylobacter) pylori from the bactericidal effect of acid

Colonization of the stomach with Helicobacter (Campylobacter) pylori is common in patients with duodenal ulcer disease, which is known for its high acid secretion. Although the bacterium is usually isolated by culture of a gastric biopsy specimen, viable organisms may sometimes be found in the acidic gastric juice. It was postulated that urease, by generating ammonia, protected H. pylori from acid. To test this hypothesis, the pH susceptibility of H. pylori, Proteus mirabilis, and the urease-negative Campylobacter jejuni was examined in the presence and absence of urea. It was found that without urea the three bacteria were all highly susceptible to acid. In striking contrast, the addition of 5 mmol/L of urea completely protected H. pylori but not P. mirabilis or C. jejuni from pH values as low as 1.5. Furthermore, the protective effect of urea on H. pylori was found with urea concentrations as low as 0.05 mmol/L. It is concluded that the high urease activity of H. pylori enables it to survive in gastric acid.

Duodenal bulb biopsy findings for patients with non-ulcer dyspepsia with or without Campylobacter pylori gastritis

Duodenal bulb biopsy specimens from 85 patients with non-ulcer dyspepsia (30 of whom had normal stomachs and 52 of whom had Campylobacter pylori gastritis) were examined for the presence and amount of gastric surface epithelial metaplasia (using both the hematoxylin and eosin stain and the Alcian blue-periodic acid-Schiff method), acute inflammation, and C. pylori (using the Giemsa stain). Gastric metaplasia occurred in the duodenal bulb in 61% of patients with gastric C. pylori and in an identical percentage for those who lacked C. pylori gastritis. For patients with gastric metaplasia, foci of metaplastic cells were seen in 70% of their bulb biopsy fragments. The Alcian blue-periodic acid-Schiff stain was superior to the hematoxylin and eosin stain for detecting gastric metaplasia. Only one of 33 patients without gastric C. pylori had gastritis and duodenitis. Fourteen of 52 (27%) patients with C. pylori gastritis had duodenitis; C. pylori was seen in the duodenal biopsy specimens from 13 of these patients. The organisms were often few, requiring oil immersion microscopy for detection. Each patient with duodenitis had gastric metaplasia, but some of these metaplastic foci were not inflamed. When present in the duodenum of patients with C. pylori gastritis, gastric metaplasia, acute inflammation, and C. pylori are typically patchy. Hence, several biopsy fragments of the duodenal bulb would be required for studies designed to determine the effectiveness of compounds used to treat C. pylori duodenitis.

Campylobacter pylori: its link to gastritis and peptic ulcer disease

Bismuth salts have been used to treat acid peptic disease for 150 years. Recently, the discovery of Campylobacter pylori and the observation that this bacterium is inhibited by bismuth salts have regenerated interest in the antibacterial properties of bismuth. Bismuth and heavy metals inhibit growth of all Campylobacter species and many enteric anaerobes. Bismuth alone cures C. pylori infection in only 30% of patients, but in combination with other broad-spectrum antibiotics, it can achieve a cure rate of 80%-90% in 2-4 weeks. Data from several studies indicate that eradication of C. pylori is curative for most patients with duodenal ulcer. Epidemiologic studies in the United States suggest that the incidence of new C. pylori infections is declining, so antibacterial therapy for symptomatic cases may be adequate therapy. In developing countries, however, curative therapy may not be possible in the presence of environmental sources of reinfection. In these areas intermittent suppressive therapy with bismuth salts may be useful.

Campylobacter pylori colonizing heterotopic gastric tissue in the rectum

Campylobacter pylori specifically attaches to gastric epithelial cells and is the etiologic agent for type B gastritis. The authors report the case of a woman with the rare finding of heterotopic gastric mucosa in the rectum that was colonized with C. pylori. Histologic findings of the heterotopic mucosa revealed active chronic gastritis that resolved when C. pylori was eradicated with bismuth subsalicylate and antibiotics. This is the first report of C. pylori in a location distal to the duodenum. The presence of live C. pylori organisms in the rectum suggests that viable organisms are present in the stool and that C. pylori may be spread by the fecal-oral route.

Ultrastructure of another spiral organism associated with human gastritis

Campylobacter pylori may not be the only organism that causes active chronic gastritis in man. We report two cases of gastric infection with a spiral organism distinct from C. pylori. The first patient is a 36-year-old female who presented with epigastric pain and abdominal colic present since childhood and who had 14 cats. Endoscopy was normal. The second patient kept two dogs. Histology of gastric mucosal biopsy specimens in both patients revealed active chronic gastritis, most severe in body mucosa. Giemsa stain revealed bacteria with four to eight spirals, 0.5 micron in diameter and 3-7 micron in length. The organisms had multiple sheathed flagella at the pole and smooth cell walls without axial filaments. The organisms resembled the gastric spirillum that has been seen in cats, dogs, and nonhuman primates. After antibacterial therapy with bismuth subsalicylate, amoxicillin, and metronidazole, the organisms disappeared in both patients and the gastritis healed. Unlike C. pylori, this new spirillum prefers to colonize gastric mucosa containing parietal cells. Whereas this type of organism is a common commensal in other mammals, it appears to be associated with and a possible cause of gastritis in humans.

Prospective double-blind trial of duodenal ulcer relapse after eradication of Campylobacter pylori

100 consecutive patients with both duodenal ulcer and Campylobacter pylori infection were followed up to see whether eradication of C pylori affected ulcer healing or relapse. Patients were randomly assigned to 8 weeks of treatment with cimetidine or colloidal bismuth subcitrate (CBS), with tinidazole or placebo being given concurrently from days 1 to 10, inclusive. Endoscopy, biopsy, and culture were done at entry, in weeks 10, 22, 34, and 62, and whenever symptoms recurred. There was no maintenance therapy. C pylori persisted in all of the cimetidine-treated patients and in 95% of those treated with cimetidine/tinidazole, but was eradicated in 27% of the CBS/placebo group and 70% of the CBS/tinidazole group. When C pylori persisted, 61% of duodenal ulcers healed and 84% relapsed. When C pylori was cleared 92% of ulcers healed (p less than 0.001) and only 21% relapsed during the 12 month follow-up period (p less than 0.0001).

Prevention of nitroimidazole resistance in Campylobacter pylori by coadministration of colloidal bismuth subcitrate: clinical and in vitro studies

One hundred patients with duodenal ulceration and Campylobacter pylori in their stomach were entered into a double blind placebo controlled prospective study. Treatment schedules were cimetidine and placebo, or cimetidine and tinidazole, or colloidal bismuth subcitrate (CBS) and placebo, or CBS and tinidazole. Seventeen per cent of isolates of C pylori obtained at the first endoscopy were resistant to tinidazole and 70% of the second isolates from patients given cimetidine and tinidazole became tinidazole resistant. Suspensions of nitroimidazole sensitive cultures of C pylori showed that three of 22 isolates had a nitroimidazole resistant subpopulation. In patients who healed and remained free of C pylori after treatment ulcers recurred less often than in patients who healed but retained C pylori (23% v 73% over 12 months, p less than 0.001).

The Campylobacter pylori story

The Campylobacter pylori story began before the turn of the century, with early works describing 'spirochaetes' in the gastric mucosa of animals. Culture of the organism in 1982 enabled investigators to make sense of the many previous works concerning the microbiology, biochemistry, and histology of the gastric mucosa. Whereas some physicians remain skeptical of C. pylori's pathogenic role, those who have studied the new organism believe it is a major gastrointestinal pathogen and see the possibility of curative therapy for what is now called 'acid peptic disease'.

Carbon-14 urea breath test for the diagnosis of Campylobacter pylori associated gastritis

Urease in the human gastric mucosa is a marker for infection with Campylobacter pylori (CP), an organism suspected of causing chronic gastritis and peptic ulceration. To detect gastric urease, we examined 32 patients who were being evaluated for possible peptic ulcer disease. Fasting patients were given 10 microCi (370 kBq) of 14C-labeled urea. Breath samples were collected in hyamine at intervals between 1 and 30 min. The amount of 14C collected at these times was expressed as: body weight X (% of administered dose of 14C in sample)/(mmol of CO2 collected). The presence of C. pylori colonization was also determined by examination of multiple endoscopic gastric biopsy specimens. On average, patients who were proven to have C. pylori infection exhaled 20 times more labeled CO2 than patients who were not infected. The difference between infected patients and C. pylori negative "control" patients was highly significant at all time points between 2 and 30 min after ingestion of the radionuclide (p less than 0.0001). The noninvasive urea breath is less expensive than endoscopic biopsy of the stomach and more accurate than serology as a means of detecting Campylobacter pylori infection. Because the test detects actual viable CP organisms, it can be used to confirm eradication of the bacterium after antibacterial therapy.

Rapid urease test in the management of Campylobacter pyloridis-associated gastritis

Campylobacter pyloridis colonization of the stomach may be an etiological factor in gastritis and peptic ulceration. Campylobacter pyloridis produces large amounts of urease, and the presence of this enzyme in gastric mucosa usually indicates infection with the organism. In this paper we describe the use of a rapid urease test (CLOtest) to detect C. pyloridis infection in gastric mucosal biopsies. In 141 consecutive endoscopy cases, antral biopsies were taken for culture and histology, and an extra biopsy was inserted into the CLOtest gel. There were 79 patients infected with C. pyloridis, 78 of whom were detected by CLOtest: 75% were positive at 20 min, 92% at 3 h, and 98% at 24 h. There were no false positive results. Eighteen infected patients were rebiopsied after a course of amoxycillin and bismuth subcitrate. Active chronic gastritis resolved in eight of nine who were cleared of the organism, but histological gastritis was unchanged in nine patients who were still infected. CLOtest is a simple, sensitive, and highly specific test that enables the endoscopist to diagnose C. pyloridis infection in the endoscopy room. A negative test after antibiotic therapy correlates with clearance of the bacteria and healing of active gastritis.

Mid-cavity occipitoanterior forceps delivery--Laufe and Barnes forceps compared

Laufe forceps are divergent forceps designed to reduce compressive forces upon the fetal skull during delivery from the pelvic outlet. Here we have undertaken a retrospective matched analysis in which Laufe (N = 75) and Barnes (N = 75) forceps were used for occipitoanterior mid-cavity forceps delivery. Our aim was to compare fetal and maternal outcome following use of these 2 types of forceps in the mid-pelvis. Fetal morbidity, categorized by trauma, low Apgar score or jaundice, was present in 31 of 75 infants delivered by Laufe forceps and in 47 of 75 infants delivered by Barnes forceps (p less than 0.01). Overall, maternal morbidity was statistically similar between the 2 groups although perineal trauma was more frequent in the Laufe group (p less than 0.05). We concluded that there appeared to be an improved fetal outcome following occipitoanterior mid-cavity delivery using Laufe forceps compared with Barnes forceps. These initial findings imply that in situations of fetal compromise, where forceps delivery from an occipitoanterior position in the mid-cavity is indicated, that Laufe forceps might be chosen.

Antibacterial action of bismuth in relation to Campylobacter pyloridis colonization and gastritis

Colloidal bismuth subcitrate (CBS, De-Nol) heals duodenal ulcers but with a lower relapse rate than cimetidine, perhaps due to inhibition of Campylobacter pyloridis (CP) organisms. To test this hypothesis we studied gastric mucosal histology in three groups of ulcer patients treated with either cimetidine, CBS, or CBS in combination with an antibiotic. Cimetidine had no effect on CP or gastric mucosal histology but with CBS therapy there was a significant reduction in the number of bacteria (p less than 0.0001). However, relapse of both CP infection and gastritis usually occurred once CBS was withdrawn. When CBS was combined with amoxycillin or tinidazole, long-term disappearance of both CP bacteria and gastritis was achieved (p less than 0.0001). In ultrastructural studies 30-90 min after single oral doses of CBS or bismuth subsalicylate, CP had detached from the gastric epithelial cells and exhibited structural degradation associated with the selective deposition of a particulate bismuth complex within and upon the surface of the organisms. In vitro, CP and other campylobacters were inhibited by bismuth compounds at 25 mg/l but they were resistant to cimetidine and ranitidine. CBS has a powerful antibacterial effect against CP but relapse of infection is common after CBS alone. In combination with antibiotics however, eradication of CP and long-term healing of gastritis occurs. In such cases the gastroduodenal mucosa is intact, and less likely to ulcerate.

Campylobacter pyloridis, gastritis, and peptic ulceration

Campylobacter pyloridis is a spiral bacterium which was seen by histopathologists several years before it was cultured in 1982 in Perth, Western Australia. It has unique cellular fatty acids, predominantly tetradecanoic acid and cis-11, 12 methylene octadecanoic acid. It also has a unique ultrastructure which is different from that of other campylobacters. C pyloridis possesses a powerful urease enzyme and produces large amounts of extracellular catalase. Both these features may be important virulence factors, allowing it to occupy a protected niche in the stomach below the mucus layer but above the gastric mucosa. Specific lesions are found in the gastric mucosa, and ultrastructural studies show the presence of adherence pedestals identical with those found with enteropathogenic Escherichia coli of the intestine. Histological examination of gastric biopsy tissue has shown that C pyloridis is strongly associated with active chronic gastritis, when polymorphonuclear leucocytes are present, and is not found on normal mucosa except when a biopsy specimen from elsewhere in the stomach shows active chronic gastritis. When patients with symptoms caused by gastritis are identified dual antibacterial treatment, combining the action of bismuth in the stomach with a systemic antibiotic, can eradicate C pyloridis, with remission of symptoms and restoration of normal epithelial morphology. Most peptic ulcers relapse after modern acid reducing treatment, and antibacterial treatment may be beneficial in preventing relapse.