Gastric campylobacter-like organisms and active antral gastritis in Puerto Rico

We attempted to verify if the reported association of gastric campylobacter like organisms (GCLO) with active antral gastritis holds true in our population. All patients undergoing elective upper endoscopy were eligible for the study unless they had a history of gastric cancer or previous antrectomy. Biopsy specimens from 100 consecutive patients were examined blindly for the presence of inflammatory activity and/or intestinal metaplasia. The presence of GCLO was determined by the acridine orange fluorescence technique. A total of 131 antral biopsies examined were classified as either normal, active gastritis, chronic gastritis with activity and chronic gastritis without activity. GCLO were identified in 84% of the biopsies with inflammatory activity (active gastritis and chronic gastritis with activity). However, GCLO were found only in 11% of those biopsies with chronic gastritis without activity. It is therefore our conclusion that the previously reported association of GCLO with active gastritis holds true for our population.