Campylobacter like organisms on the gastric mucosa: culture, histological, and serological studies

Biopsy samples were taken from the gastric mucosa of 50 patients attending a gastroscopy clinic; blood was also taken for serological studies. A campylobacter like organism was grown from 31 patients (62%) and the organism was seen in sections from 27 biopsies. Antibody was found in 31 patients by complement fixation and in 27 by bacterial agglutination. There were strong positive correlations between the presence of the organism, detectable antibody, and histological gastritis. Antibody to the campylobacter like organism was comparatively uncommon in patients without gastritis and in samples from blood donors and antenatal patients.