Treponema pallidum and Helicobacter pylori recovered in a case of chronic active gastritis.

A 49-year-old man complaining of epigastric pain underwent endoscopy, during which thickened stomach folds below the fundus were observed. Microscopic examination of gastric tissue biopsy specimens revealed chronic active gastritis. Dieterle stain revealed overwhelming numbers of "corkscrew-like" spirochetes. These were proved to be consistent with Treponema pallidum. A comprehensive study of the tissue revealed the added presence of Helicobacter pylori. This appears to be the first case report describing the involvement of H. pylori and T. pallidum together in a case of chronic active gastritis.