[Helicobacter heilmanii gastritis: the bacteriological, endoscopic and histopathological considerations in 18 cases of infection in children].

The investigations on the presence of Helicobacter pylori in gastric mucosa biopsy specimens have evidenced another morphologically distinct spiral bacterium, Helicobacter heilmanii, which is associated with histopathological lesions of antral gastritis. The authors found 18 cases of such infection in a number of 1508 children with dyspeptic manifestations examined endoscopically. While H. pylori-associated infection was detected in 48.7% of the cases, H. heilmanii-associated gastritis had a much lower prevalence, 1.1%. The diagnosis was made by microscopic examination of the gram fuchsin-stained smear from a biopsy fragment, the urease test being more commonly erratic or late positive. In 10 cases, the endoscopic examination of gastric mucosa revealed nodularity of antral mucosa, in one of these cases a ulcer lesion at the level of the great curvature being also associated. Histopathological changers of active chronic gastritis have been found but in 4 out of children, the examined fragments of gastric mucosa being collected in most cases from the fundic area: in the child with gastric ulceration the histopathological lesions were of antral acute gastritis. Clinical, bacteriological, endoscopic and histological cure of H. heilmanii gastritis is possible by therapy with bismuth compounds alone.