The place and role of serologic methods in detecting Helicobacter pylori infection

The aim of the study was to determine the place and role of serologic methods in detecting Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection, on the basis of estimated enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and complement fixation test (CFT) sensitivity and specificity. A total of 549 patients were included in the study. ELISA and CFT as serologic methods were compared with invasive methods (rapid urease test--CLO test, culture, histology). The sensitivity of serologic methods was above 90%, and their specificity was around 80%. Study results confirmed the value, reliability and usefulness of serologic methods in the detection of H. pylori infection

The Place and Role of Serologic Methods in Detecting Helicobacter Pylori Infection

The aim of the study was to determine the place and role of serologic methods in detecting Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection, on the basis of estimated enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and complement fixation test (CFT) sensitivity and specificity. A total of 549 patients were included in the study. ELISA and CFT as serologic methods were compared with invasive methods (rapid urease test – CLO test, culture, histology). The sensitivity of serologic methods was above 90%, and their specificity was around 80%. Study results confirmed the value, reliability and usefulness of serologic methods in the detection of H. pylori infection

The origin and composition of flysch deposits as an attribute to the excessive erosion of the Slani Potok valley („Salty Creek“), Croatia

Flysch deposits that crop out in the elongated coastal area of the Vinodol Valley (External Dinarides), and particularly in the Slani Potok (&lsquo;Salty Creek&rsquo;) catchment, are characterized by excessive erosion. Formation of badlands, creeping and sliding processes have been related to crystallization of thenardite. Unusually intense erosion is caused by the dispersive effect of sodium on clay particles (derived from pelitic flysch intervals) in solution, as well as by expansion of thenardite during transformation into a deckahydrate (with a four fold increase in volume). The search for a sodium source required for thenardite crystallization has focused on a particular composition of Slani Potok Eocene fl ysch rock types. Slani Potok flysch is predominantly composed of pelitic intervals, with subordinate sandstones and biocalcirudites. Sandstones and biocalcirudites contain appreciable amounts of siliciclastic detritus. Lithic fragments are represented by volcanic rocks revealing porphyry structures - possibly andesite or altered volcanic glass fragments, quartzite, schists, shales, and carbonate grains. High amounts of sodium and barium (0.93&ndash;1.09 % and 267&ndash;276 mg/kg respectively), in marls and sandstones, is essentially ascribed to a particular composition of flysch, refl ecting its area of provenance. A Palaeozoic clastic complex with barite mineralization, (black shales, sandstones and conglomerates), as well as a Mesozoic hornblende andesite located near Fužinski Benkovac in the Gorski Kotar region, are interpreted as flysch source rocks. Sodium at least could be partly leached from the lithic and feldspar grains in clastic rocks, due to circulation of pore fluids. An increased amount of sulphur, barium and strontium in flysch can be related to that of a barite ore complex in the source area of the Gorski Kotar region. Transportation and deposition of material eroded from the hinterland (North of Slani Potok), suggests turbidity current flow was transverse to the main axis of the Eocene foreland basin striking NW-SE.Abstract. Flysch deposits that crop out in the elongated coastal area of Vinodol Valley (External Dinarides) and particularly in the Slani Potok (&lsquo;Salty creek&rsquo;) catchment area have particular composition. Sandstones and biocalcrudites from the flysch in Slani Potok contain appreciable amount of siliciclastic material opposite to the other flysch domains in the External Dinarides where carbonate detritic material prevails. Siliciclastic component of sandstones and biocalcrudites contains ca 50% quartz, 30% lithic and 20% feldspar grains. Lithic fragments are represented by volcanic rocks revealing porphyric structures (possibly andesite) or altered volcanic glass fragments. The differences in flysch composition, also documented by high amount of sodium and barium measuring 0.93-1.09 % and 267- 276 mg/kg, respectively, is essentially ascribed to the different rocks in the provenance area of the Gorski Kotar region located in the hinterland of the Vinodol Valley. Occurrence of andesite near Fužinski Benkovac and Palaeozoic complex with barite mineralization in the Gorski Kotar, are considered as source. Proximity of the source area and its position straight north of Slani Potok imply that the direction of turbidity currents that deposited the flysch sediments in Slani Potok were transverse to the main axis of the Eocene foreland basin striking NW-SE.A particular composition of sandstones and biocalcrudites in the Slani Potok area attributed the formation of thenardite mineral. Source of sodium and sulphur for formation of thenardit is volcanic particles found in the flysch. Unusually intense erosion, having a varied character to the landscape, is caused by dispersive effect of sodium in solutions to clay particles derived from pelitic flysch rocks, as well as by expanding of thenardite while transforming into a deckahydrate (enlarging its volume at least 4 times). </p

Seroprevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection in dyspeptic patients

The objective of the study was to assess the effect of age on the seroprevalence of Helicobacter (H.) pylori infection in dyspeptic patients. The results obtained in the patient group were compared with findings on the seroprevalence of H. pylori infection in 2051 blood donors. Serum samples were tested by the commercial ELISA and CFT assays according to manufacturer's instructions. The mean seroprevalence of H. pylori infection as determined by ELISA/CFT was 64.0%/51.7% in the group of blood donors and 92.3%/89.5% in the group of dyspeptic patients. Study results indicated a higher prevalence of H. pylori infection in dyspeptic patients as compared with blood donors in all age groups. In the patient S group, H. pylori seroprevalence was not age dependent

Utjecaj tvrdokorne infekcije bakterijom helicobacter pylori na izraženost bcl-2 u upalnim stanicama želučane sluznice

Chronic Helicobacter (H.) pylori infection is an etiological factor related to gastric adenocarcinoma and gastric mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma. The expression of bcl-2 protein significantly decreases as the grade of MALT lymphoma advances. The aim of this study was to evaluate bcl-2 expression in inflammatory cells in lamina propria in gastric biopsy samples collected from two groups of patients with chronic gastritis divided on the basis of the success or failure of H. pylori eradication. Sixty-five patients with chronic gastritis were divided into two groups of 45 and 20 patients according to their therapeutic response. The gastric mucosa samples were analyzed histologically in both groups of patients before and after standard therapy (for eradicated, after one therapeutic cycle; and for non-eradicated, after three therapeutic cycles) for H. pylori density, urease activity and bcl-2 expression. In the eradicated group of patients, H. pylori eradication was accompanied by significantly lower grades of bacterial colonization and lower urease activity in the corpus and antrum. Bcl-2 expression in inflammatory cells showed no statistically significant changes in either patient group at either location. There was no between-group difference in bcl-2 expression either. In conclusion, persistent long-lasting H. pylori infection is associated with higher grades of bacterial colonization and higher urease activity but not with bcl-2 expression in inflammatory cells.Kronična infekcija bakterijom Helicobacter (H.) pylori je etiološki čimbenik želučanog adenokarcinoma i limfoma limfoidnog tkiva povezanog sa sluznicom (MALT limfoma). Izraženost proteina bcl-2 značajno se smanjuje s napredovanjem stupnja MALT limfoma. Cilj ove studije bio je procijeniti izraženost bcl-2 u upalnim stanicama lamine proprije u uzorcima dobivenim želučanom biopsijom u dvjema skupinama bolesnika s kroničnim gastritisom podijeljenim prema uspješnoj ili neuspješnoj eradikaciji H. pylori. Ukupno je 65 bolesnika s kroničnim gastritisom podijeljeno u dvije skupine od po 45 i 20 bolesnika prema terapijskom odgovoru. U objema skupinama su uzorci želučane sluznice analizirani histološki prije i nakon standardne terapije (kod onih s uspješnom eradikacijom nakon jednog terapijskog ciklusa, a u onih s neuspješnom eradikacijom nakon tri terapijska ciklusa) na gustoću H. pylori, aktivnost ureaze i izraženost bcl-2. Eradikacija H. pylori u skupini bolesnika s uspješnom eradikacijom bila je praćena značajno nižim stupnjem bakterijske kolonizacije i nižom aktivnošću ureaze u korpusu i antrumu. Izraženost bcl-2 nije se statistički značajno promijenila ni na jednoj lokaciji ni u jednoj skupini bolesnika. Isto tako, nije bilo nikakve razlike među dvjema skupinama bolesnika u izraženosti bcl-2. Zaključuje se kako je dugotrajna ustrajna infekcija bakterijom H. pylori povezana s višim stupnjem bakterijske kolonizacije i višom aktivnošću ureaze, ali nije povezana s izraženošću bcl-2 u upalnim stanicama

Serum Antibodies Positivity to 12 Helicobacter pylori Virulence Antigens in Patients with Benign or Malignant Gastroduodenal Diseases – Cross-sectional Study

Aim: To investigate the association of gastric histological and endoscopic findings in patients with Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), according to presence of seropositivity to 12 bacterial virulence antigens. ----- Methods: This is a cross-sectional single-center study of 360 consecutive outpatients referred in the period of one year to upper gastrointestinal endoscopy because of dyspeptic complaints. Patients sera were tested by Western blot method to determine the presence of serum antibodies to bacterial virulence antigens – p120 (CagA – cytotoxin-associated antigen), p95 (VacA – vacuolating cytotoxin), p67 (FSH – flagellar sheath protein), p66 (UreB – urease enzyme heavy subunit), p57 (HSP homologue – heath shock protein homologue), p54 (flagellin), p33, p30 (OMP – outer membrane protein), p29 (UreA – urease enzyme light subunit), p26, p19, and p17. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy was performed, endoscopic diagnosis recorded, and 4 mucosal biopsy samples were obtained and assessed according to Updated Sydney protocol. ----- Results: The sera of 207 patients were analyzed. Thirty patients had gastric adenocarcinoma, 126 peptic ulcers, and 51 normal finding. p120 (CagA) seropositivity was significantly more often present in patients with higher activity grade in the antrum (P = 0.025), p30 in patients with greater inflammation in the antrum (P = 0.025) and the corpus (P = 0.010), p33 in patients with greater inflammation in the corpus (P = 0.050), and p19 (OMP) in patients with lower intestinal metaplasia grades in the corpus (P = 0.025). Seroreactivity to all other bacterial proteins showed no association with the histological status of the stomach mucosa. Except for the seropositivity to protein p95 (VacA), which was more often present in patients with duodenal ulcer (P = 0.006), there was no difference in seroreactivity to other bacterial proteins and upper gastrointestinal endoscopic findings. ----- Conclusions: p120 (CagA), p33, p 30 (OMP), and p19 (OMP) seropositivity was more often present in patients with higher grades of the histological parameters of gastritis and seropositivity to protein p95 (VacA) with endoscopic presence of duodenal ulcer. Histological parameters of gastritis are more associated with bacterial virulence than endoscopic findings