[Campylobacter pylori in children and adults subjected to endoscopy, correlation of endoscopic, bacteriologic and...

Campylobacter pylori has been associated to peptic ulcer and gastritis. We investigated the presence of C pylori in 17 children and 50 adults who needed endoscopy to investigate upper gastrointestinal symptoms. Gram stain, Whartin-Starry stain and the urease test were used to identify the germ; best results were obtained with the Gram stain. C pylori was present in 5.8% of children and 88% of adults, including all patients with peptic ulcer and 36 out of 39 with histologic evidence of gastritis. However, the germ was also found in 79% of patients with a normal mucosa. Our results suggest that C pylori is frequently present in gastric mucosa of children and adults with upper gastrointestinal problems. Further studies are needed to elucidate its possible pathogenic role in gastritis or peptic ulcer.