1/278. Molecular relationships of helicobacter pylori strains in a family with gastroduodenal disease. OBJECTIVE: Few studies have examined the genetic relationships of helicobacter pylori strains affecting family members. Our aim was to do so. methods: We characterized H. pylori isolates obtained from members of a single family presenting with various gastroduodenal diseases to examine H. pylori bacterial genetic similarity. Endoscopic evaluation with gastric mapping was performed on each individual to establish clinical and histological disease. Genomic dna extracted from each H. pylori isolate was used to generate dna fingerprints for each strain by REP-PCR. vacA genotypes and cagA presence were established by PCR. RESULTS: gastrointestinal diseases among the five members of this family included gastric adenocarcinoma in a 52-yr-old man (index patient), gastric MALT-lymphoma in the 73-yr-old mother; intestinal metaplasia (IV) and atrophic gastritis in the 48-yr-old brother; intestinal metaplasia (I-III) in the 47-yr-old brother, and a duodenal ulcer scar in the 42-yr-old sister. REP-PCR dna fingerprints of H. pylori isolates from the index patient, his mother, and both of his brothers were identical or highly similar. By contrast, the H. pylori dna fingerprint from the sister was markedly different from the H. pylori dna fingerprints from the other family members. All isolates had the genotype cagA-positive and vacA slb/ml mosaic genotype. CONCLUSIONS: The dna fingerprints of H. pylori strains obtained from members of this family with malignancy or premalignant histological disease were identical or highly similar and markedly different from the H. pylori dna fingerprint from the sibling with duodenal ulcer disease. All H. pylori isolates within the family possessed genetic markers of enhanced virulence (presence of the cagA gene and vacA sl/ml mosaicism). In addition to host genetics and environmental factors, these findings suggest that infection with genetically similar H. pylori strains is a significant factor in determining the clinical outcome of an infection with H. pylori. ( info) |
2/278. Eradication of helicobacter pylori heals atrophic corpus gastritis caused by long-term treatment with omeprazole. Long-term treatment with proton pump inhibitors in patients with helicobacter pylori gastritis can lead to atrophic changes in the corpus mucosa. What is still unclear, however, is whether this atrophy can regress in response to helicobacter pylori eradication. We report on a male patient with helicobacter pylori gastritis receiving long-term treatment (4 years) with omeprazole for gastrooesophageal reflux disease, who developed autoaggressive gastritis with progressive atrophy, hypochlorhydria, hypergastrinaemia and nodular ECL-cell hyperplasia. To determine whether these changes might be induced to regress, helicobacter pylori eradication therapy was administered. Ten months after helicobacter pylori eradication autoaggressive lymphocytic infiltrates were no longer detectable, and the glands in the corpus mucosa had normalised despite continued treatment with omeprazole - a finding that was confirmed at two further follow-up surveys performed at 6-month intervals. This case report shows that atrophy of the corpus mucosa developing under long-term treatment with a proton pump inhibitor can be cured by eradicating helicobacter pylori. ( info) |
3/278. Understanding peptic ulcer disease pharmacotherapeutics. The implication that helicobacter pylori is responsible for peptic ulcer disease (PUD) has revolutionized the pharmacotherapeutic management of PUD. There has been a shift from long-term therapy with antacids and histamine2 (H2) antagonists to short-term therapy with triple antimicrobials with or without an antisecretory agent or a double antimicrobial therapy with an antisecretory agent. A case of PUD in a 53-year-old woman and its management with double antimicrobial agents and an antisecretory agent is discussed. research evidence suggests that a treatment regimen aimed at eradicating H. pylori without diagnostic testing enhances the ability to effectively manage suspected cases of PUD before complications arise and referrals to specialists are necessary. Discouraging the use of over-the-counter H2 antagonists, ruling out long-term use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs before selecting the treatment regimen, and considering expected treatment compliance are important aspects of PUD management that emerged from this case. ( info) |
4/278. multiple myeloma involving the stomach with vitamin B12 deficiency. Involvement of the gastrointestinal tract by plasmocytoma is rare. In a 78-year-old man with IgA lambda multiple myeloma stage IIIB, the evaluation of a megaloblastic anaemia revealed a subnormal vitamin B12 level. Urinary excretion of isotope-labelled vitamin B12 was reduced. Tests for gastric parietal cell and intrinsic factor antibodies were negative. There were no clinical signs of an insufficient absorption in the ileum. biopsy specimens of the stomach showed a dense, diffuse infiltrate of malignant plasma cells in the lamina propria of fundus and corpus. A urease test for helicobacter pylori was positive. There was a minor haematological improvement when vitamin B12 was given parenterally. Several combinations of cytostatic drugs had no effect on the manifestations of the multiple myeloma. In our patient the vitamin B12 deficiency may be related to a displacement or destruction of parietal cells by malignant plasma cells. ( info) |
| We report about two cases of combined gastric lymphoma and gastric carcinoma with one of them representing a case of early gastric high grade B-cell lymphoma of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) with co-existing early gastric adenocarcinoma. In contrast to most previously reported similar cases, in both of our cases the definitive diagnosis of gastric lymphoma and carcinoma was obtained preoperatively. This, however, seems to be in future times an essential prerequisite for employing minimal invasive methods such as eradication therapy in the case of diagnosed early lymphoma and endoscopic treatment for early gastric carcinomas. These methods have been proven to be an effective and beneficial alternative treatment especially with regard to the life quality of the patients. ( info) |
| Duodenal mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma is very rare, and little is known about its clinical course or association with helicobacter pylori infection. This report describes the case of a 76-year-old man with a polypoid mass in the duodenal bulb, diagnosed as low-grade MALT lymphoma. H. pylori infection in the duodenal mucosa was confirmed by histology with silver stain. Endoscopic examination showed that the gross lesion regressed after the eradication of H. pylori despite its histopathologic persistence. Ten months later, however, cervical and intraperitoneal lymphadenopathy and bone marrow involvement was observed, and the pathologic diagnosis of the cervical lymph node was identical with that of the duodenal lesion. ( info) |
7/278. Septic shock due to Helicobacter fennelliae in a non-human immunodeficiency virus-infected heterosexual patient. Helicobacter fennelliae (formerly campylobacter fennelliae) has been reported to cause bacteremia in homosexual men with or without human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) infection. We report here a 48-year-old, non-hiv-infected, heterosexual man with diabetes mellitus and cirrhosis of the liver who developed bacteremia and septic shock due to H. fennelliae. The patient was treated successfully initially with intravenous ampicillin-sulbactam and ceftazidime, followed by ampicillin-sulbactam only. These agents were active in vitro against the isolate by E-test results. To our knowledge, this is the first documented case of septic shock due to H. fennelliae in a non-hiv-infected, heterosexual, immunocompromised patient. ( info) |
| The spiral bacteria, helicobacter heilmannii (H. heilmannii), distinct from helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), was found in the gastric mucosa of a 71-year-old man without clinical symptoms. The endoscopic examination revealed erosive gastritis. Rapid urease test from the antral specimen was positive, but both culture and immunohistological staining for H. pylori were negative. touch smear cytology showed tightly spiral bacteria, which were consistent with H. heilmannii. At the second endoscopy after medication regimen for eradication of H. pylori, inflammation was decreased and the rapid urease test was negative. The second cytology showed no evidence of H. heilmannii. Anti-H. pylori therapy may be a useful medication for H. heilmannii. ( info) |
| hyperemesis gravidarum is the most severe spectrum of gastrointestinal complaints in pregnant women. Our purpose is to describe an association of helicobacter pylori with hyperemesis gravidarum. Three pregnant women are described with the working diagnoses of hyperemesis gravidarum unresponsive to standard therapy. The medical management used to treat helicobacter pylori in these women are elaborated. The persistence of the symptomatology and/or hematemesis resulted in helicobacter pylori testing of these women. A 2-week course of antibiotics and a proton pump inhibitor or H2 receptor antagonist resulted in resolution of the hyperemesis. A discussion of the incidence, diagnosis, and management of helicobacter pylori in pregnancy is described. When the symptoms of hyperemesis gravidarum are persistent into the second trimester, active peptic ulcer disease from helicobacter pylori should be included in the differential diagnoses. ( info) |
10/278. Successful symptomatic management of a patient with Menetrier's disease with long-term antibiotic treatment. We present the case of a 79-year-old female patient with criteria typical for Menetrier's disease, i.e. enlargement of the gastric folds due to foveolar hyperplasia associated with severe protein-loss along with epigastric pain, nausea, vomiting and weight loss. Gastrin levels were within the normal range, but elevated helicobacter pylori antibody titers (83 microg/ml) were indicative of a recent infection. Histologic examination of a gastric polyp, which was removed in toto, revealed the presence of early gastric cancer of the mucosal type. After initiation of antibiotic treatment with clarithromycin (3 x 250 mg/day) and metronidazole (2 x 500 mg/day) in combination with lansoprazole (30 mg/day), the patient's condition improved rapidly along with abrogation of protein loss. Under maintenance treatment as indicated above, the patient has been free of symptoms now for a period of more than 2 years. On repetitive endoscopic follow-up, there was no change in gastric mucosa morphology either endoscopically or histologically, and also no evidence of recurrence of a malignant lesion. We conclude that this therapeutic regimen represented an effective alternative to surgical intervention in this patient and should be considered in similar cases. ( info) |