Open AccessThe diversity of vacA and cagA genes of Helicobacter pylori in East Asia
Author(s) -
Zhou Wen,
Yamazaki Shiho,
Yamakawa Akiyo,
Ohtani Masahiro,
Ito Yoshiyuki,
Keida Yoshihide,
Higashi Hideaki,
Hatakeyama Masanori,
Si Jianmin,
Azuma Takeshi
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
fems immunology & medical microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1574-695X
pISSN - 0928-8244
DOI - 10.1016/s0928-8244(03)00299-2
Subject(s) - caga , helicobacter pylori , genotype , biology , polymerase chain reaction , gastritis , gene , spirillaceae , microbiology and biotechnology , chronic gastritis , antigen , east asia , immunology , genetics , china , virulence , law , political science
It has been reported that Helicobacter pylori infection with the type I strain, which expresses the VacA and CagA antigens, is associated with duodenal ulcer. We examined the diversity of vacA and cagA genes in 143 isolates obtained from patients with duodenal ulcer or chronic gastritis in East Asia (two different areas of Japan, Fukui and Okinawa, and also in Hangzhou, China) by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequence analysis. Diversities of cagA and vacA genes were detected in East Asia. The prevalence of cagA ‐positive H. pylori was significantly different between Fukui and Okinawa ( P =0.0032 ). The prevalence of Western type CagA was significantly higher in Okinawa than in Fukui ( P <0.0001 ). However, there was no significant association between the genotype of cagA and clinical outcome. In Japan, the predominant vacA genotype was s1c/m1b. In contrast, in Hangzhou, the predominant vacA genotype was s1c/m2, and they were all East Asian CagA‐positive. These findings suggest that a distinct distribution of the vacA and cagA genotypes is present in East Asia, regardless of clinical outcome.