Helicobacter pylori isolated from patients with tonsillar cancer or tonsillitis chronica could be of different genotype compared to isolates from gastrointestinal tract

Abstract

Helicobacter pylori from patients with different diseases, including so-called autoimmune thyroiditis, chronic tonsillitis and tonsillar cancer, was isolated and cultured. It was identified according to the genotype using labeled hybridization probes complementary to six sequences of cagA and vacA genes. Different types of strains were found in isolates from gastrointestinal tract and patients suffering from thyroiditis. Six out of seven genotyped isolates from patients in our Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery exhibited the same genotype, differing from isolates obtained from other patients; the 7th isolate originated from a patient who had undergone surgery for deviatio septi nasi, at the same time suffering from autoimmune thyroiditis, having confirmed gastric infection by H. pylori from biopsy. This data made it possible to formulate the hypothesis on probable association of specific H. pylori genotype with chronic tonsillitis and tonsillar cancer. We assessed commercial transport media and improved nucleic acid isolation techniques and the RT-PCR-based tests, which allowed us to skip a culture step and to test directly the patients' samples; however, for full confirmation of our hypothesis and explanation of possible mechanisms of the contribution of Helicobacter sp. to the pathogenesis of the disease further data are to be collected and evaluated.

Helicobacter pylori – Not Only a Gastric Pathogene?

“…Overgrowth by other bacterial species often appears. Direct inhibition of H. pylori by oral species in vitro has also been reported (Ishihara et al, 1997 (Pavlik et al 2007). The discrepancy of published PCR results shows the importance of finding suitable PCR assay.…”

“…The discrepancy of published PCR results shows the importance of finding suitable PCR assay. Tissue specimens collection and especially immediate immersion into proper transport medium is essential for successful test results (Pavlik et al 2007). It has to be considered that PCR allows the detection of a low number of bacteria or nonviable bacteria, which cannot influence progress of diseases.…”

“…They also demonstrated the presence of coccoid forms of H. pylori in tonsillar crypts using immunoelectron microscopy. Eyigor et al (2009) (Pavlik et al 2007). …”

“…Nevertheless H. pylori infection was detected in other sites recently. It was found in dental plaque and saliva (Kim et al 2000) and also in oropharyngeal lymphatic tissue (Pavlik et al 2007). This finding is of great importance because of known carcinogenic potential of H. pylori.…”

Assessment of Helicobacter pylori prevalence by scorpion real-time PCR in chronic tonsillitis patients

“…There are studies in which the apparent existence of H. pylori in these tissue samples was confirmed[5–7] nevertheless, some other studies failed to show the presence of H. pylori in tonsillar materials examined. [8–11] The difference in results in various studies might be due to different laboratory methods.…”