Differences in virulence markers between Helicobacter pylori strains from the Brazilian Amazon region

Abstract

Introduction: This study compares virulence markers of Helicobacter pylori isolated from patients in 2 cities in the Brazilian Amazon. Methods: The study analyzed 168 patients with chronic gastritis from Belém and 151 from Bragançã, State of Para, Brazil. Levels of bacterial DNA associated with cagA and vacA alleles were checked by PCR, and hematoxylin-eosin staining was used for histologic diagnosis. Results: In Bragançã 87% of patients were genotype slml cogA-positive (slml cagA+), compared with 76% in Belém. In samples from patients in both cities, there was an association between slml cagA+ strains and gastric mucosal damage. Conclusions: Both cities have a high frequency of slml cagA+ strains of H. pylori.