CASE REPORT: Antibiotic-associated haemorrhagic colitis

Antibiotic-associated haemorrhagic colitis is an uncommon cause of bloody diarrhoea in patients taking penicillin or penicillin-related antibiotics. Symptoms of abdominal pain and bloody diarrhoea occur within 1 week of antibiotic use and resolve without specific therapy within days of discontinuing the offending antibiotic. There is an apparent increased incidence of the disease in patients of Oriental ethnicity. The pathogenesis is unknown. We present two cases of haemorrhagic colitis in patients taking penicillin-related antibiotics who presented within 4 months of each other. One of the patients was being treated for Helicobacter pylori infection. The published literature is reviewed with particular emphasis on the histology and pathogenesis of the condition.     

Assoziation der chronischen Urtikaria mit Helicobacter pylori-induzierter Antrum-Gastritis

Zusammenfassung Trotz der H?ufigkeit der Erkrankung liegen nur wenige gesicherte Erkenntnisse über die ?tiologie der chronischen Urtikaria vor. Bei 10 Patienten, bei denen keine anderweitige Ursache für die Erkrankung ermittelt werden konnte, führten wir eine Gastroskopie durch. Bei 8 der 10 Patienten konnte eine Besiedlung der Magenschleimhaut mit Helicobacter pylori gesichert werden. Die Urtikaria heilte innerhalb weniger Tage bei allen Patienten ab, nachdem wir eine Therapie mit Amoxicillin und Omeprazol einleiteten. Eingegangen am 6. Februar 1995 Angenommen am 12. Mai 1995     

Profound increase ofHelicobacter pylori urease activity in gastric antral mucosa at low pH

The effect of pH onH. pylori urease activity in its ecological niche was studied in gastric antral biopsy specimens. Specimens were incubated in 10 mmol/liter urea solutions at pH range 3.3–8.2. Activity of urease was studied by measuring production of ammonia and change in pH of the solutions. Urease activity was reduced at pH 8.2 (1424 ± 218 µmol/liter) but decreasing initial pH to neutral and acidic values resulted in significant maximal 6.5-fold increase in ammonia production (9491 ± 1073 µmol/liter,P<0.0005), which considerably raised the pH of the test solutions. Peak urease activity was between pH 5.0 and 7.0. In contrast to specimens incubated initially at pH 8.0, reincubation of washed specimens from solutions with initial pH 7.0 showed eightfold decreased urease activity. It is concluded that urease activity is markedly pH dependent with pH optima below the physiological mucosal surface pH. Furthermore, availability of urease is limited. Thus, an impaired gastric mucosal integrity allowing back diffusion of hydrogen ions may release urease activity, which might further weaken the mucus barrier and damage the gastric epithelium.This study was supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (Mi 190/3).     

Cytotoxin and urease activities of Helicobacter pylori isolates from Japanese patients with atrophic gastritis or duodenal ulcer

The vacuolating cytotoxin and urease secreted by Helicobacter pylori are thought to be virulent factors. Because vacuolation is potentiated by the presence of ammonium ion, which is produced by urease in vitro, it is of interest to examine whether cytotoxin and urease work reciprocally in the development of atrophic gastritis or duodenal ulcer. In the present study, patients (all H. pyloripositive) were divided into four groups: mild atrophic gastritis (group 1; nine patients), severe atrophic gastritis (group 2; 36 patients), duodenal ulcer with mild atrophic gastritis (group 3; 19 patients) and duodenal ulcer with severe atrophic gastritis (group 4; 12 patients). Cytotoxin production and urease activity of H. pylori isolated from these patients were analysed. Cytotoxin production was observed in four of nine (44.4%), 28 of 36 (77.8%), 11 of 19 (57.9%) and eight of 12 (66.7%) isolates from groups 1, 2, 3 and 4, respectively. Cytotoxin-producing H. pylori isolates were found significantly more in patients with severe atrophy than in patients with mild atrophy (P= 0.048). The mean of relative activity of cytotoxin in H. pylori isolate was 1. 6. ± 2. 3, 7. 9. ± 7. 4, 5. 8. ± 6. 0 and 9. 0 ± 9. 1 in groups 1, 2, 3 and 4, respectively. Helicobacter pylori isolates from severe atrophy or duodenal ulcer patients in groups 2 or 4 possessed significantly higher activity than those from non-ulcer patients in group 1 (P= 0.017 and 0.030, respectively). The mean of urease activity was 8. 6 ± 4. 6, 10. 0 ± 5. 9, 10. 0 ± 8. 5 and 11. 2 ± 7. 7 IU/mg in groups 1, 2, 3 and 4, respectively. These differences indicated no statistical significance. In each H. pylori isolate, the production of cytotoxin and urease were independent, which indicated that there was no reciprocal effect between them in vivo. Thus, cytotoxin-producing H. pylori isolates were more prevalent in patients with severe atrophic gastritis and the cytotoxin activities of H. pylori isolates from the patients with severe atrophic gastritis or duodenal ulcer were much higher than those from the patients with mild atrophic gastritis, which suggested that vacuolating cytotoxin may be a disease-inducing factor.     

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 gastro-oesophageal 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. Received: 21 April 1998 / Accepted: 10 August 1998     

The association of hepatitis A and Helicobacter pylori with sensitization to common allergens, asthma and hay fever in a population of young British adults

BACKGROUND: A negative association of oro-faecally spread infection with serological markers of sensitization and allergic disease has been reported. METHOD: Previous infection with hepatitis A and Helicobacter pylori was assessed in a community-based sample of young British adults and associations with serum-specific IgE to environmental allergens, asthma-like symptoms and hay fever were examined. RESULTS: There was no association of previous infection with hepatitis A or H. pylori with wheeze or hay fever. There was no evidence of an association of infection with either agent and sensitization except for the isolated finding of a lower prevalence of sensitization to grass in those with IgG antibodies to H. pylori (OR 0.65, 95% CI 0.43-0.99). This association did not explain the negative association of family size with sensitization to grass. CONCLUSION: In this population, there was no evidence that infection with hepatitis A or H. pylori was associated with lower levels of IgE sensitization, asthma or hay fever except for an isolated finding of a negative association of H. pylori infection with sensitization to grass.     

壳聚糖体内抗幽门螺杆菌作用及其对机体体液免疫反应的调节

目的研究壳聚糖体内抗幽门螺杆菌（Hp）作用，及其对机体体液免疫反应的调节作用。方法建立BALB／c小鼠Hp感染的动物模型后，随机分为8组：（1）对照组；（2）PPI组；（3）AM组；（4）AM＋PPI组；（5）壳聚糖组；（6）壳聚糖＋PPI组；（7）壳聚糖＋AM组；（8）壳聚糖＋AM＋PPI组。分别给予上述药物每日2次灌胃，共2周。停药后4周，处死小鼠，无菌条件下取胃黏膜、唾液和血清。采用定量Hp培养和病理改良Giemsa染色法检测胃黏膜内Hp感染。用ELISA法检测血清、唾液和胃黏膜内Hp抗体，用SP免疫组织化学法检测胃黏膜内分泌型IgA（sIgA）。结果以上8组的却根除率分别为0、0、41．7％、58．3％、58．3％、66．7％、83．3％、91．7％，其中（3）～（8）组的肋根除率与（1）和（2）组比较差异有统计学意义（P〈0．05）。Hp定植密度研究发现各组之间Hp定植密度差异有统计学意义（P〈0．001），坳定植密度在（3）～（8）组显著低于（1）和（2）组（P〈0．05），（7）组显著低于（3）组（P〈0．05），（8）组显著低于（4）组（P〈0．05）。血清中抗Hp　IgG、IgG1、IgG2a及唾液中抗Hp　IgA含量，各组差异无统计学意义（P〉0．05）。胃黏膜中抗Hp　IgA含量，在壳聚糖组和壳聚糖＋AM组显著高于无壳聚糖组（P〈0．05）。胃黏膜sIgA阳性腺体百分率，含壳聚糖组显著高于不含壳聚糖组（P〈0．05）。结论壳聚糖在体内有抗Hp作用，并与AM有协同作用，它与PPI和AM三者联用的Hp根除率高达91．7％，有望成为一抗Hp新药。壳聚糖可促进胃黏膜局部抗Hp　IgA和sIgA的产生，因此它在体内的抗Hp作用除了直接杀灭Hp外，其对机体免疫调节效应可能参与了抗菌机制。     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Helicobacter pylori</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">cagA</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">vacA</Emphasis> gene status in children from Brazil with chronic gastritis

Helicobacter pylori has been shown to be strongly associated with chronic gastritis, gastric and duodenal ulceration, and is a risk factor for gastric carcinoma. Histology, urease, culture, and polymerase chain reaction have been employed as for H. pylori diagnostic methods, pre and post treatment or during follow-up of dyspeptic adult individuals referred for endoscopy. In order to obtain a more-sensitive and specific method for H. pylori detection, we evaluated gastric body and antrum biopsies of 134 consecutive Brazilian consecutive dyspeptic children aged 1-16 years by rapid urease test, histology and polymerase chain reaction using two pairs of oligonucleotides. Our results indicated that polymerase chain reaction with Southern blotting and hybridization with specific chemiluminescent probes increased the number of positive H. pylori patients by 35%. The genotyping of H. pylori strains directly from gastric biopsy using the same nucleic acid methodology revealed that there is no association of chronic gastritis in our infant patients with vacA s1 and the presence of the cagA gene. These data suggest an initial infection of children with normal mucosa and probably others factors than vacA s1 genotype or the presence of the cagA gene are associated with the onset of gastric disease. Altogether, our results reinforce the need for using more sensitive diagnostic methods in order to understand the role of H. pylori in the genesis of gastric disease in children and its progression in adults.     

幽门螺旋杆菌对慢性胃炎患者胃窦黏膜内G、D细胞的影响

目的　了解幽门螺旋杆菌 (HP)对慢性胃炎胃窦黏膜内G、D细胞的影响。　方法　用免疫组织化学双重染色法 ,观察正常人、HP- 组和HP+ 组慢性胃炎患者胃窦黏膜内G、D细胞的数量 ,G D细胞的比值以及G、D细胞接触的百分率。　结果　G细胞数量在 3组中无明显差异 (P >0 0 5 ) ,HP+ 胃炎组D细胞显著减少 ,与其他 2组相比有显著性差异 (P <0 0 1) ;而G D细胞比值增高 ,G、D细胞接触的百分率下降。　结论　HP可抑制胃窦D细胞生长抑素的合成和D细胞的增殖 ,从而可能减少D细胞对G细胞胃泌素分泌的抑制。     

三种LT突变体的幽门螺杆菌疫苗黏膜免疫佐剂效应比较

目的 探讨3种大肠杆菌不耐热肠毒素突变体在辅佐幽门螺杆菌候选疫苗尿素酶B亚单位(rUreB)中的佐剂效应.方法 各组Balb/c小鼠分别用PBS、rUreB、rUreB LTK63、rUreB LTR72、rUreB LTKR及rUreB CT进行4次口服免疫.ELISA检测胃、肠、气管冲洗液sIgA以及血清IgG亚类(IgG1,IgGa);RT-PCR差异显示T淋巴细胞IFN-γ、IL-4 mRNA;ELISPOT检测肠派伊尔氏结IgA、IgG抗体分泌细胞.结果 ①各rUREB加突变体佐剂组在胃、肠、气管的sIgA和血清IgG1、IgG2a水平显著高于PBS组和单独rUreB组(P＜0.01);②抗原刺激后取自各rUreB加突变体佐剂组T淋巴细胞表达的IFN-γ、IL-4 mRNA显著高于PBS组和rUreB组(P＜0.01);③各rUreB加突变体佐剂组小肠派伊尔氏结抗体分泌细胞数都显著高于PBS组和单独rUreB组(P＜0.01).结论 3种突变体都能辅佐rUreB在小鼠上产生特异的抗rUreB的抗体,且3种突变体诱导的免疫应答可能都是Th1/Th2型.LTR72的佐剂效应强于LTK63及LTKR.LTKR无毒,其稳定性高于LTR72,佐剂活性高于LTK63,是一个有希望的新型黏膜免疫佐剂.