Isolation of Campylobacter pyloridis from Nigerian patients with gastroduodenal pathology

Recent reports have indicated that Campylobacter pyloridis may be a causative factor in upper digestive pathology. Gastric and duodenal biopies were taken from 144 patients undergoing upper digestive endoscopy as part of investigation for dyspeptic symptoms at the Endoscopy Unit of Lagos University Teaching Hospital between October, 1985 and November, 1986 employing ACMI gastroduodenoscope model TX-7. The first 50 specimens were placed in 3 ml of Brain Heart infusion and taken to the Microbiology Laboratory of the Teaching Hospital within 1 hour. The liquid culture medium with specimens were incubated for 5 days in a candle jar at 37 degrees C, after which a loopful of the liquid culture medium was streaked onto blood agar plates and incubated under the same conditions for another 5 days. The Gram staining of two biopsy smears from the last 85 specimens showed Gram negative spiral shaped organisms. These last 85 specimens were plated on chocolate agar. All plates were incubated at 37 degrees C in a candle jar. Two (2.35%) out of the 85 specimens were positive Campylobacter pyloridis. The positive strains were Gram negative and were spiral' shaped. They were oxidase and catalase positive. The strains produced DNase and hydrolysed urea in Christensen's medium. They did not hydrolyse hippurate and were resistant to nalidixic acid but sensitive to cephalothin discs. Our findings of two positive out of 85 plated would suggest that this microorganism may not be a major contributor to the development of gastritis in Nigerians.