[Use of immunoenzyme assay to detect the level of pepsinogen in blood].

Determining the level of blood pepsinogens has important clinical significance in the formation of risk groups for gastric cancer and erosive/ulcerative lesions of the gastric mucosa. A comparison of imported and domestic kits for testing the level of pepsinogens was performed. Russian diagnostic kits in comparison with foreign ones proved to show similar sensitivity and specificity.

[The level of serum cytokines in children infected with various strains of Helicobacter pylori].

Serum contents of 7 cytokines (IL-1, IL-1beta, IL-6, IL-8, TNF-alpha, INF-gamma, INF-alpha) were examined in 87 children aged 14-17 years according to presence of antibodies against Helicobacter pylori and cytotoxic CagA protein. There was a lack of difference in cytokine levels between infected and non-infected children. Thus H. pylori infection in children in contrast to adults does not cause changes in systemic cytokine secretion.

[Prevalence of atrophic gastritis in different populations in Siberia on medical evidence of the serological survey].

Prevalence of atrophic gastritis in various population of Siberia with serological tests was studied. Representative samples of Novosibirsk adult population and also urban and rural population of Yakutia were examined. 348 persons at the age more than 45 years (180 males and 168 females) were studied. Concentration of pepsinogen I, gastrin 17 and antibodies to Helicobacter pilori in blood serum was estimated with immune-enzyme analysis ("Biohit GastroPanel", "Biohit", Finland). In addition, domestic test-systems were used for detection cytotoxic (expressing CagA-protein) strains H. pylori. Level of markers (pepsinogen, gastrin, antibodies to Helicobacter pilori and antibodies to CagA H. pilori) in observing populations had no difference between males and females, and also did not depend on age. Occurrence of atrophy in body of stomach in Novosibirsk population, urban and rural population of Yakutia was 10.1, 16.7 and 25.6% respectively, and in antral part--10.7, 25.6 and 8.9% respectively. Total atrophy was registered in 1% in all groups. Helicobacter infection was detected in 78-88% of population. Domestic immune-enzyme test-systems were comparable with data of histological examination and demonstrated greater sensitivity at H. pylori detection vs. foreign. High prevalence of atrophic gastritis in various groups of Siberia population was noticed, which must be was bounded with great level of H. pylori infection in population.

[Noninvasive diagnosis of chronic atrophic gastritis by serology].

The authors describe a current approach to the laboratory diagnosis of chronic gastritis, by using the plates of serological tests: pepsinogen I (PG-I), gastrin 17, and antibodies to Helicobacter pylori (HP). These tests and a questionnaire were used to examine 168 persons aged 45-70 years, who were a random population sample. Almost a fourth of the adult population was observed to have pronounced gastric mucosal atrophic changes, which might be associated with the high prevalence of HP infection. The concentration of PG-I is high in the persons infected with HP, its cytotoxic strains in particular, its elevated level servers as a valid marker of peptic ulcer disease and gastroesophageal reflux.

[Helicobacter pylori and symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux in adolescents: role of cagA-comprising strains].

The objective of this study was to assess the prevalence of gastroesophageal reflux symptoms (GERS) in 403 adolescents at the age of 14-17 according to the Helicobacter pylori status in a two-year prospective school-based survey. Initially the H. pylori infection was revealed in 55.3%. GERS were reported by 16.1% of H. pylori negative subjects, 17.3% of H. pylori positive but CagA negative adolescents, and by 30.3% of those being CagA positive. Over 2 years, among 275 subjects without initial GERS, symptoms appeared in 43 (15.6%), being 10.8%, 18.8%, and 21.0% in three groups under the study, respectively. The H. pylori infection (especially with CagA positive strains) in older children results in GERS, which can be explained by antral gastritis with a subsequent increase of acid secretion.

[Relationship between CagA-bearing strains of Helicobacter pylori and gastrointestinal pathology].

AIM: To study the prevalence of CagA-positive strains of Helicobacter pylori in Novosibirsk residents and to assess their relation to some clinical parameters. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Random sample of the population (218 males and 220 females aged 25-64 years) was examined. Antibodies against Helicobacter pylori and CagA protein were tested in the sera using enzyme immunoassay. Gastrointestinal symptoms were evaluated with questionnaire. RESULTS: The prevalence of H. pylori infection was 88%, among H. pylori-positive persons CagA-positivity was revealed in 58%. Presence of antibodies to CagA protein was associated with dyspepsia (OR = 2.5, 95% CI 1.2-2.5) and history of peptic ulcer (OR = 3.6, 95% CI 1.0-14.5). CagA-positive subjects more frequently reported bowel disturbances, diarrhea, in particular (OR = 2.9, 95% CI 1.2-7.4). CONCLUSION: The data showed similar distribution of H. pylori and CagA-positivity among adult population in Russia and Eastern European countries. CagA-positivity is associated with peptic ulcer and dyspepsia.

[Association between the level of serum pepsinogen I and markers of the Helicobacter pylori infection in teenagers]. / Sviaz' urovnia syvorotochnogo pepsinogena I c markerami infektsii Helicobacter pylory u podrostkov.

The concentration of pepsinogen I as well as antibodies to Helicobacter pylori and CagA protein were determined in the blood serum in 84 schoolchildren at the age of 14-17 using the immune-enzyme analysis. The level of pepsinogen I did not depend on the sex, age, gastroenterological symptoms and ulcer occurrence in parents. However, the concentration of pepsinogen was higher in teenagers infected with H. pylori (89.6 ug/l) than in non-infected ones (69.4 ug/l, p = 0.012), this increase taking place mostly due to strains containing CagA.

[Prevalence of Helicobacter pylori CagA-producing strains within families]. / Rasprostranennost' CagA-produtsiruiushchikh shtammov Helicobacter pylori v sem'iakh.

During prophylactic examination of blood sera taken from the members of 59 families by the enzyme immunoassay, antibodies to H. pylori and CagA protein were determined. As shown in this study, the children of non-infected mothers proved to be infected in 6.3% of cases and the children of infected mothers, in 72.1% of cases (p < 0.001). The children of non-infected fathers were H. pylori-positive in 71.4% and those of infected fathers, in 58.4% of cases. The CagA status was found to coincide in mothers and their children (p = 0.01), but not in fathers and their children. These data indicate that children acquire H. pylori infection from the members of their family, mainly from their mothers.

[The detection of antibodies to the trophozoite antigens of Lamblia by an immunoenzyme method]. / Vyiavlenie antitel k antigenam trofozoitov liamblii immunofermentnym metodom.

Whether purified antigens of Lamblia intestinalis trophozoites can be used to detect these antibodies by immunoassay. The drugs of immunodominant Lamblia antigens were prepared by anion-exchange chromatography of solubilized trophozoite components and they are mainly presented by proteins having molecular weights of 70, 56, and 49 kD. Immunoassay using these antigens revealed antibodies to Lamblia trophozoite antigens in sera of 87.6% of patients with lambliasis (its diagnosis was established on the basis of microscopic data on the duodenal content) and only in 16.2% of clinically healthy blood donors. Twenty six sera from patients with trichomoniasis having high levels of antibodies to trichomonad antigens were studied to evaluate the specificity of this method for detection of antibodies. It has been found that the proportion of subjects in this group who have also antibodies to Lamblia antigens does not greatly differ from that of healthy blood donors (19.2 and 16.2, respectively).