Campylobacter pylori: its association with active chronic gastritis

C. pylori is a gram negative spiral bacteria that has been found to be associated with active chronic gastritis and duodenal ulcer. It possesses 4 to 6 sheathed flagella and has cockscrew motility. It is differentiated into 3 main morphological cell types during its cell cycle: spiral, straight rods and coccoid forms. It grows well in enriched media supplemented with sera in the presence of carbon dioxide at 35-37 degrees C. It is a high urease producer, non-sacchrolytic and possesses an array of other enzymes. Based on its biochemical characteristics, 3 biotypes have been proposed. It colonises the gastric mucosa of the antrum but is rarely found in normal antral mucosa. The serum urea probably helps its survival capability in the acidic microenvironment of gastric mucosa. It is sensitive to anti-ulcer medication and relatively insensitive to cimetidine. It is susceptible to a wide range of antimicrobials but resistant to vancomycin. The ability to grow the organism in a continuous culture system will shed more information about C. pylori.