Tightly spiral shaped bacteria inthehumanstomach: another causeofactive chronic gastritis?

Tightly spiral shaped Gramnegative bacteria wereseeninthegastric biopsies obtained from twopatients undergoing gastroscopy. Active chronic gastritis waspresent inbothpatients andonepatient alsohadgastric ulceration. Attempts toculture theorganism byanumber ofmethods wereunsuccessful butpositive urease results wereobtained inbothpatients. Bothpatients weretreated withcolloidal bismuth subcitrate. Biopsies taken after treatmentshowed resolution ofinfection andhistological gastritis. Theseresults suggest that Helicobacter pylonisnottheonlyorganism associated withchronic active gastritis inman.