Fungal colonization of gastric ulcers.

Retrospectively, samples from 337 newly diagnosed gastric ulcers were studied for the prevalence of fungus using a periodic-acid Schiff-diastase stain. In 64 (19%) gastric ulcers, fungal material was found in the ulcer base. There was no difference in prevalence of fungi between benign gastric ulcers and ulcerating gastric carcinomas. The "fungal" ulcers tended to be larger in diameter and are more often suspected to be malignant than "normal" gastric ulcers. Since no tissue invasion was found and healing tendency after therapy seemed not to be delayed, we conclude that fungus in gastric ulcer is probably a secondary phenomenon, and has little clinical significance.