Gastric histopathological features after the administration of omeprazole, amoxicillin, and clarithromycin in gastritis Helicobacter pylori rat model.

OBJECTIVE: This research work aimed to assess the histopathological features and degree of gastritis severity in a rat model, induced by Helicobacter pylori infection after administering omeprazole, amoxicillin, and clarithromycin as the standard first-line eradication regimen. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Twenty-one male rats were adapted for 7 days and randomly divided into three equal groups. Group 1 was considered a negative control. Group 2 and Group 3 were treated as H. pylori-inoculated groups. Group 2 was set as a positive control. Group 3 was administered omeprazole, amoxicillin, and clarithromycin as a first-line eradication regimen. Gastric histopathological examination was conducted. The difference in the severity of gastritis among the groups was examined using the one-way analysis of variance test. The significance was determined to be p < 0.05. RESULTS: Gastritis was found in all inoculated groups. The severity of gastritis was highest in Group 2 (p < 0.05). We could see a refinement in gastritis severity after administering omeprazole, amoxicillin, and clarithromycin as a first-line eradication regimen (Group 3 vs. Group 2; p <0.05). CONCLUSION: Gastritis, induced by the H. pylori rat model, was found in all inoculated groups. There was a refinement in the degree of gastritis severity after the administration of omeprazole, amoxicillin, and clarithromycin as a first-line eradication regimen.

Structure of cytotoxic associated antigen A protein of Helicobacter pylori from Bali and Lombok isolates of Indonesia.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Helicobacter pylori is a well-known zoonotic agent with worldwide distribution. In Indonesia, only one report regarding the variation within the cytotoxic associated antigen A (CagA) protein of H. pylori has been described in the literature, which was conducted in Manado, South Sulawesi. There remains no report concerning the structure of this protein, particularly for the Bali and Lombok isolates. The objective of this study was to investigate the diversity of H. pylori CagA amino acid sequences of Bali and Lombok isolates, to predict their molecular structures and conduct toxicity examination of CagA on gastric cells. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 36 samples were used in equal proportions for each pathologic condition. DNA extraction was performed to subculture H. pylori Bali isolates. The amplification of the CagA 3' variable region was carried out using the primers P1 (5'-GATAACAGGCAAGCTTTTTGAGG-3') and P2 (5'-CTGCAAAAGATTGTTTGGCAG-3'). The W2, W9, and W35 fragments were selected as a representation of H. pylori Bali isolates, which were modeled through the threading modeling approach using I-TASSER. RESULTS: According to the 12 CagA sequences obtained and phylogenetic analyses, the H. pylori strain originating from Bali can be grouped within the East Asian genotypes and is identical to the Lombok strain. In addition, the Bali isolates are phylogenetically more closely related to Southeast Asian strains, particularly the Filipino strain. The relationship between degree of inflammation induced and CagA-positive infection was not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: The structure of the H. pylori Bali isolate is identical to that of Lombok isolate, which belongs to the same group of East Asian genotypes, and bacterial virulence is not related to structure.

Antigen of 49.6-kDa subunitpili protein of Helicobacter pylori as a potential biomarker for early and rapid detection of the infection.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Helicobacter pylori infection has been identified as a major cause of peptic ulcer diseases, including gastric and duodenal ulcers, gastritis, chronic and gastric carcinoma, and even gastric lymphoma. In vitro studies using Western blotting analysis, hemagglutination test, adherence inhibition assays, and immunocytochemical staining revealed that the 49.6-kDa subunit pili protein of H. pylori was considered an immunogenic protein. This study aimed to develop a serological diagnostic test using 49.6 kDa for detecting antibodies against H. pylori proteins in an early phase of the infection. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An in-house immunochromatographic test (ICT) kit was developed and used to test a panel of sera sample obtained from a randomly selected symptomatic patient, in which 40 sera were H. pylori positive and 40 sera were H. pylori negative. RESULTS: The results showed that ICT with 49.6 kDa as an antigen was highly sensitive and specific for detecting anti-H. pylori immunoglobulin G antibodies in human serum, with a high negative predictive value. CONCLUSION: The developed test could be used to exclude H. pylori infection in symptomatic patients.

NASOPHARYNGEAL CARRIAGE OF STREPTOCOCCUS PNEUMONIAE IN HEALTHY CHILDREN UNDER FIVE YEARS OLD IN CENTRAL LOMBOK REGENCY, INDONESIA.

Colonization with Streptococcus pneumoniae is mostly symptomless, but can progress to respiratory or even systemic disease. We investigated nasopharyngeal carriage of Streptococcus pneumoniae in healthy children under five years of age in Central Lombok Regency, Indonesia. This cross sectional study was carried out in 2012 among 1,200 healthy children aged 2 to 60 months. A multiplex sequential PCR was employed to determine serotype of cultured S. pneumoniae and a disk diffusion method to assess susceptibility to antimicrobial drugs. S. pneumoniae was cultured from 554 children and the most frequent serotypes found were 6A/B (22% of pneumococcal strains), 19F (11%), 23F (10%), 15B/C (8%), and 19A and 14 (4% each). The majority of strains were still susceptible to clindamycin (97%), erythromycin (87%), chloramphenicol (81%), and penicillin (72%), with only 41% and 38% susceptible to tetracycline and sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim, respectively. Continuous surveillance of S. pneumoniae carriage is important for future pneumococcal vaccination programs in Indonesia.

Epidemiology of hepatitis B, C, and E viruses and human immunodeficiency virus infections in Tahuna, Sangihe-Talaud Archipelago, Indonesia.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The epidemiology of hepatitis B, C,E viruses (HBV, HCV, HEV) and human immunodeficiency virus(HIV) has been obscure in Indonesia, particularly remote areas. METHODS: We undertook serological surveys for HBV/HCV/HEV/HIV infections in the general population of Tahuna, the capital city of Sangihe-Talaud Archipelago,outlier in the northeastern part of Indonesia. RESULTS: Of 581 sera collected in April 2005, 1.4% was reactive for HBsAg,0.2% for anti-HCV, and 5.9% for anti-HEV, but none for HIV. All the HBsAg-positive sera were also positive for DNA, the nucleotide sequence of which is segregated within subgenotype C5. Most of the preschool children were positive for anti-HBs as a result of an HB immunization initiated in 1997. The titer of anti-HCV in the only individual detected was very low, with a negative result of HCV RNA detection,suggesting a nonspecific reaction. Anti-HEV was significantly more frequent in those over 30 years of age than in the younger age group (24 vs. 1.9%, p ! 0.0001). CONCLUSION: Thus, it seems that HCV and HIV have fortunately not made it as far as the Sangihe-Talaud Archipelago. Although HBV infection remains a major problem in adults (with the HBsAg-positive rate at 4.9%), HB immunization has begun to protect the younger generation.