A variety of Helicobacter pylori strains colonize the stomach of non-bleeding Egyptian patients with upper gastrointestinal disorders

Background Chronic infection with Helicobacter pylori is associated with protean manifestations, which vary from no symptoms to multiple gastric diseases. Other H. pylori infections could provide protection against reflux esophagitis, and lower esophageal cancer. The current study aims to scan H. pylori strains that colonize the stomach of Egyptian patients with upper gastrointestinal disorders and its association with the endoscopic outcomes. Identification of H. pylori strains was done by PCR amplification of the 16s rRNA gene from gastric biopsies, proved to be positive for H. pylori by both Giemsa stain and histopathology. PCR products were purified, sequenced, and aligned to GenBank. Results BLAST results of H. pylori 16s rRNA gene sequences showed identity between Egyptian H. pylori isolates and four H. pylori strain subpopulations: hspSAfrica, hspEAsia, hpEurope, hspWAfrica. The frequency of H. pylori isolates that showed identity to hspEAsia subpopulation was significantly higher in Ulcerative lesions. H. pylori isolates from ulcerative and neoplasm specimens illustrate base substitutions in 16s rRNA gene variable 9 region compared to the consensus sequence of H. pylori 43504 16s rRNA. Conclusion Different H. pylori strains may be associated with differences in the clinical manifestations and could be used as a prognostic marker to predict the outcome of the H. pylori- associated diseases .