Relationship between Helicobacter pylori detection and an increased risk of infection in childhood

The risk of developing gastric cancer is believed to be related to differences among Helicobacter pylori strains and the inflammatory responses mediated by host genetic factors. H. pylori infection is acquired at an early age and in the absence of appropriate antibiotic therapy, it generally persists for life. Tp53 gene regulates the transcription of several cytokines and chemokines involved in innate immunity and its action may be influenced by the presence of different H. pylori strains. The present study aimed to detect H. pylori in pediatric patients, to access Tp53 polymorphism at codon 72 and to correlate such findings with age and histopathological results. Three hundred and forty-two patients were analyzed. DNA from their gastric biopsies was extracted and the detection of H. pylori was performed through polymerase chain reaction assays, urease test and histopathologic examination. Allelic discrimination of SNP rs1042522 (Tp53) was performed by real-time polymerase chain reaction. Our results suggest a possible relationship between the presence of H. pylori and chronic gastritis in children and young patients, and showed a significant association between ageing and positivity for H. pylori. It was verified that patients aged < 10 years were 1.3 times more likely to have infection by H. pylori when compared with those aged > 10 years. Finally, no association was found between Tp53 polymorphisms and the presence of H. pylori.

Relação entre enteroparasitoses, região ungueal e mãos contaminadas, em crianças e adolescentes da Instituição Filantrópica de Marília / Relationship between intestinal parasitesm, nail region and contaminated hands in children and adolescents from the Instituição Filantrópica de Marília

Foram analisadas amostras de fezes, material da região ungueal e a água após a lavagem das mãos de 58 crianças e adolescentes, entre 12 a 17 anos de idade, da Instituição Filantrópica de Marília, no período de 01 de agosto a 30 de setembro de 1988. Dos 58 pacientes analisados, 17 (29,3%) não apresentaram nenhum tipo de infecção parasitária; 41 (70,7%) apresentaram-se parasitados por protozoários com a prevalência de 35,1% do tipo Giardia lamblia em 5 (11,8%) e Entamoeba coli em 10 (23,3%); os demais, ou seja, 64,9% apresentaram-se parasitados por helmintos do tipo Ascaris lumbricoides em 10 (23,3), Ancilostomideos em 3 (8,3%) e Hymenolepis nana em 13 (33,3%). Diante dos resultados obtidos, pode-se verificar que o foco das infecções apresentadas, não teve correlação com a região ungueal ou com as mãos contaminadas, uma vez que os cistos, larvas e ovos pesquisados foram encontrados apenas nas fezes analisadas.