Helicobacter spp. infection and chronic liver diseases

Abstract

Background. Studies on spiral-sharped bacteria of the genus Helicobacter have focused mainly on Helicobacter pylori. However, in the last few years a great number of novel Helicobacter species have been isolated from animals and humans. Objectives. The aim of the study was to determine the correlation between infection by Helicobacter spp. such as H. pylori, H. hepaticus, and H. bills and pathological hepatic changes in patients with chronic liver diseases. Material and methods. The study included 56 patients aged 20-60 years diagnosed for various chronic liver diseases, e.g. chronic viral hepatitis types B or C, co-infection of HBV and HCV, autoimmune hepatitis, hemochromatosis, Wilson's disease, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Thick-needle hepatic biopsy specimens and serum samples from each patient were analyzed. The presence of Helicobacter spp. in the biopsy specimens was determined by culture on solid media and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The level of anti-H, pylori IgG antibodies in the patients' sera was detected by ELISA. Results. Examination of the hepatic biopsies for Helicobacter spp. infection by different culture methods was negative for all samples. The Helicobacter ureB gene was identified by PCR in 7 of the 56 biopsies (12.5%). Among these patients, 5 were diagnosed for hepatitis C or B, 1 for hemochromatosis, and 1 for NAFLD with no identified viral infection. Anti-H. pylori IgG antibodies in the serum samples were detected in 52% of the examined subjects and in all 7 patients with positive PCR results. Conclusions. The coexistence of H. pylori infection and chronic liver disease, especially viral hepatitis, might be possible in humans. Further studies are needed to clarify the relationship between H. pylori, H. hepaticus, and H. bills infection and pathological hepatic changes in humans. So far, a detrimental effect of Helicobacter species on the liver could not be confirmed or excluded. There was no correlation between the presence of DNA detected by PCR assay of liver samples and the presence of specific antibodies in the patients sera. © Copyright by Silesian Piasts University of Medicine in Wrocław.