Clinical and histological presentation of helicobacter pylori and gluten related gastroenteropathy

Celiac disease has been reported to be associated with gastric abnormalities. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between the prevalence of celiac disease and Helicobacter pylori infection in an Iranian population of 250 patients. Biopsies were taken from the gastric antrum and duodenum. Morphology and histology were evaluated using the updated Sydney system and modified Marsh criteria, respectively. To simplify the interpretation of gastric lesions we classified gastritis in macroscopic and microscopic stages. Serology for anti-tissue transglutaminase antibody was performed to determine the presence of celiac disease. Among 250 patients, 232 [93%] had histological evidence of Helicobacter pylori infection. Histological abnormalities [Marsh I to IIIc] were present in 24 [10%]. Of 24 patients, 20 [83%] with histological abnormalities were infected with Helicobacter pylori. Of 250 patients, 25 [10%] had a positive anti-tissue transglutaminase antibody. Of 25 anti-tissue transglutaminase antibody positive patients, 9 [3.6%] had microscopic and macroscopic enteritis [Marsh I to IIIc]. Clinical presentation of celiac disease was not distinguishable from cases infected with Helicobacter pylori. Histology, even in patients with positive serology, was non-specific and unhelpful. We found a high prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection and chronic gastritis, but neither was associated with celiac disease, in agreement with studies in Western populations

Anti-HCV antibody among iranian IV drug users: is it a serious problem?

Hepatitis C virus [HCV] is transmitted mainly via sexual contacts and blood [or its products'] transfusion. Transmission of this virus by contaminated needles used by IV drug users has raised great concern. In the present survey, the rate of HCV infection among a group of IV drug users was investigated and some important risk factors of the virus transmission were determined. A total of 402 male IV drug users from Ghasr Prison in Tehran, Iran, entered the study [1995]. At the stage of blood sampling, a questionnaire including demographic data; history of blood transfusion, tattooing and cupping [or Hejamat, the traditional way of phlebotomy in Iran] was also filled for every enrolled prisoner. HCV 3.0 ELISA and RIBA II were used to detect the HCV antibody and antigen in blood sera, respectively. Data were analyzed using Chi-square and Fisher's exact tests. HCV antibody was found in the sera of 182 of 402 cases [45.3%]. Seventy-three of 182 [40.1%] HCV antibody-positive persons had a history of tattooing. All cases with a history of cupping were antibody positive. There was a statistically significant relationship between antibody positivity and having a history of tattooing/cupping [p< 0.005]. Other risk factors did not seem to have a significant relationship with HCV antibody positivity. Similar to the findings of many developed and developing countries, a high rate of hepatitis C infection is present among Iranian IV drug users. We believe that tattooing and cupping are two important risk factors associated with HCV infection in IV drug users in Iran