Analysis of the vacA, cagA, cagE, iceA, and babA2 genes in Helicobacter pylori from sixty-one pediatric patients from the Midwestern United States

• Published in: Diagnostic microbiology and infectious disease Vol. 46; no. 2; pp. 83 - 88
• Main Authors: Podzorski, Raymond P., Podzorski, Diane S., Wuerth, Ann, Tolia, Vasundhara
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Inc 01-06-2003; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adhesins, Bacterial; Antigens, Bacterial - genetics; Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins - genetics; Bacterial Proteins - genetics; Bacteriology; Base Sequence; Biological and medical sciences; Biopsy, Needle; Carrier Proteins - genetics; Child; Child, Preschool; Cohort Studies; DNA, Bacterial - analysis; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Genetic Predisposition to Disease; Genetics; Genotype; Helicobacter Infections - diagnosis; Helicobacter Infections - epidemiology; Helicobacter Infections - genetics; Helicobacter pylori; Helicobacter pylori - genetics; Helicobacter pylori - isolation & purification; Helicobacter pylori - pathogenicity; Humans; Incidence; Male; Microbiology; Midwestern United States - epidemiology; Molecular Sequence Data; Polymerase Chain Reaction - methods; Risk Factors; Sensitivity and Specificity; Virulence; United States; North America; America; Midwestern United States; USA; Human; Stomach; Spirillales; Digestive system; Pathogenesis; Spirillaceae; Infection; Helicobacter pylori; Biopsy; Bacteriosis; Digestive diseases; Bacteria; Child
• DOI: 10.1016/S0732-8893(03)00034-8
• EISSN: 1879-0070
• ISSN: 0732-8893

This study was designed to characterize
H. pylori from pediatric gastric biopsy specimens in terms of several genes
(vacA, cagA, cagE, iceA1, iceA2, and babA2) proposed to be involved in the pathogenesis of this organism. Many of these genes have been studied in adult
H. pylori isolates, however, these genes have not been well characterized in
H. pylori from children. Using PCR we observed that 44% of the
H. pylori in our biopsies shared two common genotypes (
vacA s1b m1, cagA, cagE, iceA2 ±
babA2). While 26% of the
H. pylori had unique genotypes. The
cag pathogenicity island associated genes,
cagA and cagE, were found together in 64% or our
H. pylori, while 84% were
iceA2 positive. The presence of the
babA2 gene has been proposed to be associated with a higher risk of
H. pylori related diseases, however, we found that only 36% of our
H. pylori contained this gene.