Candida overgrowth in gastric juice of peptic ulcer subjects on short- and long-term treatment with H2-receptor antagonists.

Candida overgrowth in gastric juice of peptic ulcer subjects under therapy with H2-receptor (H2-R) antagonists has been detected in 21.4 and 53.8% of cases after short- and long-term treatment respectively, and in 8% of controls. Both types of H2-R antagonists, ranitidine and cimetidine, were equally associated with production of yeasts. The location of ulcers, whether gastric or duodenal, seems to have no influence on fungal growth. Females were more susceptible than males to develop Candida in gastric juice. In the short-term course with H2-R blockers fungal colonization of gastric juice was associated with delay of the rate of ulcer healing. Fungal detection in gastric juice was not associated with mucosal invasion by Candida since in none of the patients who had a biopsy for gastric ulcer was Candida detected by histology.

[Request for sampling and acquisition of biological samples for microbiological investigation (author's transl)]. / Richiesta, prelievo e raccolta dei campioni biologici per l'indagine microbiologica.

On the grounds of published data and of those resulting from an investigation carried out in the Italian hospitals, the writers propose to standardize the requests for microbiological exams and the sampling procedures and the acquisition of the materials to be subjected to bacteriological examination.