Dr. Mahesh Dhotre,
BACKGROUND The study of gastric bacteriology gained significant impetus after the isolation of Helicobacter pylori in 1983. For nearly 45 years prior to that, gastric spiral bacteria was repeatedly observed and then forgotten, many studies show a consistent association between H. pylori and many common disorders of upper gastrointestinal tract. But until now the cause and effect relationship between H. pylori and acid-peptic disease is not been proven. The aim is to clinically diagnose the prevalence of H. pylori in patients of dyspepsia. MATERIALS AND METHODS 80 cases of dyspepsia were studied clinically as per then proforma over a period of two years from July 2012 to June 2013. They are subjected to upper gastrointestinal endoscopy under topical anaesthesia, during which, 3 biopsies from the pyloric antrum were taken. Biopsy specimens were immediately inoculated into the rapid urease test kit, containing phenol red as the indicator. Positive test for Helicobacter pylori was indicated by the change in the colour of the medium from yellow to pink or red observed over 2 to 24 hrs. RESULTS Out of 80 patients, there were 54(67.50%) male patients and 26 (32.50%) female patients, age ranging from 15 to 80 years (49±14.8). Out of 80 patients, 44 were diagnosed to be having Helicobacter pylori (55%). All 6 patients with peptic ulcer were infected with Helicobacter pylori (100%). All 5 patients with duodenal ulcers were infected with Helicobacter pylori (100%) and out of 44 patients with gastritis 20 were positive for H. pylori (45.5%). Out of 13 patients with duodenitis, 11 were positive for H. pylori (84.6%). None of patients with gastric cancers were found. In our study most common complaint of patient was pain abdomen (68 patients) followed by nausea/vomiting and bloating. There is significant relationship between H. pylori bacteria and duodenal ulcer and gastric ulcer. CONCLUSION In this study, we found that patients who underwent upper GI endoscopy for dyspepsia have significant relation between Helicobacter pylori infection and findings like duodenitis (=0.001), duodenal ulcer (p=0.001) and gastric ulcer (p=0.001). It has been observed that males (67.3%) are most commonly infected by H. pylori compared to female (32.7%) patients. It has also been observed that our study is comparable to other studies done. Thus, we conclude that H. pylori may have a role in the aetiopathogenesis of peptic ulcer disease. Hence, we recommend the eradication of bacteria in patients, positive for the bacterium, who have peptic ulcer disease.
