Skip to main content
PMC home page
CMAJ : Canadian Medical Association Journal logoLink to CMAJ : Canadian Medical Association Journal
. 1989 Jun 15;140(12):1449–1453.

The prevalence of Campylobacter pylori gastritis among asymptomatic adults.

D B Gregson 1, D E Low 1, M M Cohen 1, N B Cooter 1, J J Connon 1, S L Wolman 1, A E Simor 1
PMCID: PMC1269982  PMID: 2785841

Abstract

To determine the prevalence of Campylobacter pylori colonization in the healthy population we studied 54 asymptomatic volunteers and 65 patients referred because of gastrointestinal symptoms. All subjects underwent gastroscopy and gastric biopsy. C. pylori was isolated from 6 volunteers (11%) and 36 patients (55%). Histologic evidence of inflammation was present in 98% of the culture-positive subjects. Linear regression analysis revealed that the prevalence of C. pylori colonization increased with age. There was no difference in the isolation rate between the two groups when adjusted for age. Four of the six culture-positive volunteers underwent repeat endoscopy and gastric biopsy 1 year later; despite remaining asymptomatic, all still had positive culture results and histologic evidence of gastritis. We conclude that the prevalence of C. pylori-associated gastritis among symptomatic patients increases with age and that the organism may be present in the gastrointestinal tract for prolonged periods without symptoms or evidence of disease progression.

Full text

PDF
1452

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Barthel J. S., Westblom T. U., Havey A. D., Gonzalez F., Everett E. D. Gastritis and Campylobacter pylori in healthy, asymptomatic volunteers. Arch Intern Med. 1988 May;148(5):1149–1151. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Blaser M. J. Gastric Campylobacter-like organisms, gastritis, and peptic ulcer disease. Gastroenterology. 1987 Aug;93(2):371–383. doi: 10.1016/0016-5085(87)91028-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Buck G. E., Gourley W. K., Lee W. K., Subramanyam K., Latimer J. M., DiNuzzo A. R. Relation of Campylobacter pyloridis to gastritis and peptic ulcer. J Infect Dis. 1986 Apr;153(4):664–669. doi: 10.1093/infdis/153.4.664. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Czinn S. J., Carr H. Rapid diagnosis of Campylobacter pyloridis-associated gastritis. J Pediatr. 1987 Apr;110(4):569–570. doi: 10.1016/s0022-3476(87)80551-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Goodwin C. S., McCulloch R. K., Armstrong J. A., Wee S. H. Unusual cellular fatty acids and distinctive ultrastructure in a new spiral bacterium (Campylobacter pyloridis) from the human gastric mucosa. J Med Microbiol. 1985 Apr;19(2):257–267. doi: 10.1099/00222615-19-2-257. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Graham D. Y., Klein P. D., Opekun A. R., Boutton T. W. Effect of age on the frequency of active Campylobacter pylori infection diagnosed by the [13C]urea breath test in normal subjects and patients with peptic ulcer disease. J Infect Dis. 1988 Apr;157(4):777–780. doi: 10.1093/infdis/157.4.777. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Hazell S. L., Lee A. Campylobacter pyloridis, urease, hydrogen ion back diffusion, and gastric ulcers. Lancet. 1986 Jul 5;2(8497):15–17. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(86)92561-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Jones D. M., Eldridge J., Fox A. J., Sethi P., Whorwell P. J. Antibody to the gastric campylobacter-like organism ("Campylobacter pyloridis")--clinical correlations and distribution in the normal population. J Med Microbiol. 1986 Aug;22(1):57–62. doi: 10.1099/00222615-22-1-57. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Jones D. M., Lessells A. M., Eldridge J. Campylobacter like organisms on the gastric mucosa: culture, histological, and serological studies. J Clin Pathol. 1984 Sep;37(9):1002–1006. doi: 10.1136/jcp.37.9.1002. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Krakowka S., Morgan D. R., Kraft W. G., Leunk R. D. Establishment of gastric Campylobacter pylori infection in the neonatal gnotobiotic piglet. Infect Immun. 1987 Nov;55(11):2789–2796. doi: 10.1128/iai.55.11.2789-2796.1987. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Lambert J. R., Borromeo M., Pinkard K. J., Turner H., Chapman C. B., Smith M. L. Colonization of gnotobiotic piglets with Campylobacter Pyloridis--an animal model? J Infect Dis. 1987 Jun;155(6):1344–1344. doi: 10.1093/infdis/155.6.1344. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Langenberg W., Rauws E. A., Houthoff H. J., Oudbier J. H., van Bohemen C. G., Tytgat G. N., Rietra P. J. Follow-up study of individuals with untreated Campylobacter pylori-associated gastritis and of noninfected persons with non-ulcer dyspepsia. J Infect Dis. 1988 Jun;157(6):1245–1249. doi: 10.1093/infdis/157.6.1245. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Leunk R. D., Johnson P. T., David B. C., Kraft W. G., Morgan D. R. Cytotoxic activity in broth-culture filtrates of Campylobacter pylori. J Med Microbiol. 1988 Jun;26(2):93–99. doi: 10.1099/00222615-26-2-93. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Marshall B. J., Armstrong J. A., Francis G. J., Nokes N. T., Wee S. H. Antibacterial action of bismuth in relation to Campylobacter pyloridis colonization and gastritis. Digestion. 1987;37 (Suppl 2):16–30. doi: 10.1159/000199555. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Marshall B. J., Armstrong J. A., McGechie D. B., Glancy R. J. Attempt to fulfil Koch's postulates for pyloric Campylobacter. Med J Aust. 1985 Apr 15;142(8):436–439. doi: 10.5694/j.1326-5377.1985.tb113443.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Marshall B. J., McGechie D. B., Rogers P. A., Glancy R. J. Pyloric Campylobacter infection and gastroduodenal disease. Med J Aust. 1985 Apr 15;142(8):439–444. doi: 10.5694/j.1326-5377.1985.tb113444.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Marshall B. J., Warren J. R., Francis G. J., Langton S. R., Goodwin C. S., Blincow E. D. Rapid urease test in the management of Campylobacter pyloridis-associated gastritis. Am J Gastroenterol. 1987 Mar;82(3):200–210. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Marshall B. J., Warren J. R. Unidentified curved bacilli in the stomach of patients with gastritis and peptic ulceration. Lancet. 1984 Jun 16;1(8390):1311–1315. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(84)91816-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. McNulty C. A., Gearty J. C., Crump B., Davis M., Donovan I. A., Melikian V., Lister D. M., Wise R. Campylobacter pyloridis and associated gastritis: investigator blind, placebo controlled trial of bismuth salicylate and erythromycin ethylsuccinate. Br Med J (Clin Res Ed) 1986 Sep 13;293(6548):645–649. doi: 10.1136/bmj.293.6548.645. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Perez-Perez G. I., Dworkin B. M., Chodos J. E., Blaser M. J. Campylobacter pylori antibodies in humans. Ann Intern Med. 1988 Jul 1;109(1):11–17. doi: 10.7326/0003-4819-109-1-11. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Rauws E. A., Langenberg W., Houthoff H. J., Zanen H. C., Tytgat G. N. Campylobacter pyloridis-associated chronic active antral gastritis. A prospective study of its prevalence and the effects of antibacterial and antiulcer treatment. Gastroenterology. 1988 Jan;94(1):33–40. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Romaniuk P. J., Zoltowska B., Trust T. J., Lane D. J., Olsen G. J., Pace N. R., Stahl D. A. Campylobacter pylori, the spiral bacterium associated with human gastritis, is not a true Campylobacter sp. J Bacteriol. 1987 May;169(5):2137–2141. doi: 10.1128/jb.169.5.2137-2141.1987. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Sarosiek J., Slomiany A., Slomiany B. L. Evidence for weakening of gastric mucus integrity by Campylobacter pylori. Scand J Gastroenterol. 1988 Jun;23(5):585–590. doi: 10.3109/00365528809093916. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. Taylor D. E., Hargreaves J. A., Ng L. K., Sherbaniuk R. W., Jewell L. D. Isolation and characterization of Campylobacter pyloridis from gastric biopsies. Am J Clin Pathol. 1987 Jan;87(1):49–54. doi: 10.1093/ajcp/87.1.49. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. Unidentified curved bacilli on gastric epithelium in active chronic gastritis. Lancet. 1983 Jun 4;1(8336):1273–1275. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  26. Whitehead R., Truelove S. C., Gear M. W. The histological diagnosis of chronic gastritis in fibreoptic gastroscope biopsy specimens. J Clin Pathol. 1972 Jan;25(1):1–11. doi: 10.1136/jcp.25.1.1. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from CMAJ: Canadian Medical Association Journal are provided here courtesy of Canadian Medical Association

RESOURCES