ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Serological tests are practical, with low cost, but no noninvasive tests are available for diagnosing Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection in Brazil. The aim here was to develop and validate enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) serological tests to detect anti-H. pylori immunoglobulin G antibodies, based on cultured strains from Brazilian patients. DESIGN AND SETTING: Cross-sectional, diagnostic accuracy study comparing a locally developed and validated ELISA and invasive tests among dyspeptic patients at two public hospitals in São Paulo, Brazil. METHODS: An ELISA test was prepared using whole-cell antigen from 56 strains. After genotypic characterization, it was standardized and optical density (OD) cutoffs were determined based on the serum antibody response of 100 H. pylori-negative samples, compared with 82 H. pylori-positive samples. Validation was performed on 174 symptomatic patients. RESULTS: The optimal OD cutoffs established (for monoclonal and polyclonal tests, respectively) were 0.167 and 0.164; overall ELISA sensitivity: 84.3%, 78.9%; specificity: 88.6%, 90.6%; positive predictive value (PPV): 75.4%, 80%; negative predictive value (NPV): 93.1%, 81.8%; accuracy: 87.3%, 86.2%; child and adolescent ELISA sensitivity: 74.2%, 81.8%; specificity: 90.8%, 86.7%; PPV: 66.6%, 84.3%; NPV: 95.8%, 84.8%; accuracy: 88.5%, 84.6; adult ELISA sensitivity: 84.4%, 75%; specificity: 86.9%, 93%; PPV: 81.8%, 78.3%; NPV: 88.9%, 91.8%; accuracy: 85.9%, 88.5%. CONCLUSION: The polyclonal serological test developed using local strains presented better diagnostic performance among children and adolescents, while the monoclonal test was better among adults. The results from both tests suggest that these in-house serological tests could be used to detect anti-H. pylori antibodies in our population, for screening purposes.

Helicobacter pylori is usually acquired during childhood and remains in the gastric mucosa for years, often lifelong if untreated. It can be concluded that the gastric mucosa of children actively responds to the presence of H. pylori. Current evidences suggest that whereas H. pylori infection rarely causes peptic ulcers or gastric atrophy in children, it seems to be associated with iron deficiency and iron deficiency anemia; the evidence also suggests the infection may cause growth retardation. In contrast, H. pylori infection has been associated with a reduced risk of asthma and allergy in children and adults; also, epidemiological studies suggest that there is an inverse association between H. pylori infection and risk for esophageal adenocarcinoma. The gastric mucosa of children elicits a significant inflammatory response in the site of infection, with increased expression of toll-like receptors (TLRs) and cytokines, and increased epithelial proliferation. This response may partly be responsible for the required "immune training" needed to protect for the development of esophageal cancer, asthma, allergy or even diabetes later in life. The response may as well be associated with growth retardation, iron deficiency and increased risk for enteric infections. It then seems that our co-evolution with H. pylori has rendered benefits for human health making clear that this relationship is complex and the decision to eradicate the infection should be taken with caution.

A strong association between persistent infection, chronic inflammation and cancer has been described. Helicobacter pylori is the main cause of gastric cancer, with 900 000 new cases yearly. Helicobacter colonization triggers the gastric epithelial cells to secret IL-8, a chemoattractant of immune cells, which persistently infiltrate the infected tissue. High levels of inflammatory cytokines are found, leading to loss of local homeostasis due to altered cell proliferation and apoptosis. It is not known how this local inflammatory response leads to cancer but the expression of mutagenic O2 and N2 free radicals might directly contribute to the irreversible mucosal genomic damage. Epstein Barr Virus is another pathogen associated with gastric cancer. We review here our current knowledge of inflammatory mechanisms at the site of infection that could be important to the development of cancer and that could be shared by other pathogens. This is of great importance since around 25% of cancers are associated with infection.

Existe una sólida relación entre la infección persistente, la inflamación crónica y el cáncer. Helicobacter pylori es la principal causa del cáncer gástrico, con 900 000 casos nuevos registrados cada año. Este patógeno estimula a las células del epitelio gástrico para secretar IL-8, un quimioatrayente de leucocitos que infiltra el tejido infectado de manera persistente. También se observan concentraciones elevadas de citocinas inflamatorias que promueven la pérdida de la homeostasis local debido a la alteración de la proliferación y apoptosis celular. No es claro el mecanismo por el cual esta reacción inflamatoria lleva al cáncer, pero los radicales libres de O2 y N2 podrían contribuir de modo directo al daño genómico de la mucosa. El virus de Epstein-Barr es otro microorganismo vinculado con el cáncer gástrico. En esta revisión se describen los mecanismos inflamatorios importantes que intervienen en el desarrollo de la tumoración, tal vez compartidos con otros patógenos, lo cual es de gran relevancia ya que alrededor de 25% de los cánceres se relaciona con infección.

A strong association between persistent infection, chronic inflammation and cancer has been described. Helicobacter pylori is the main cause of gastric cancer, with 900 000 new cases yearly. Helicobacter colonization triggers the gastric epithelial cells to secret IL-8, a chemoattractant of immune cells, which persistently infiltrate the infected tissue. High levels of inflammatory cytokines are found, leading to loss of local homeostasis due to altered cell proliferation and apoptosis. It is not known how this local inflammatory response leads to cancer but the expression of mutagenic O2 and N2 free radicals might directly contribute to the irreversible mucosal genomic damage. Epstein Barr Virus is another pathogen associated with gastric cancer. We review here our current knowledge of inflammatory mechanisms at the site of infection that could be important to the development of cancer and that could be shared by other pathogens. This is of great importance since around 25% of cancers are associated with infection.

Existe una sólida relación entre la infección persistente, la inflamación crónica y el cáncer. Helicobacter pylori es la principal causa del cáncer gástrico, con 900 000 casos nuevos registrados cada año. Este patógeno estimula a las células del epitelio gástrico para secretar IL-8, un quimioatrayente de leucocitos que infiltra el tejido infectado de manera persistente. También se observan concentraciones elevadas de citocinas inflamatorias que promueven la pérdida de la homeostasis local debido a la alteración de la proliferación y apoptosis celular. No es claro el mecanismo por el cual esta reacción inflamatoria lleva al cáncer, pero los radicales libres de O2 y N2 podrían contribuir de modo directo al daño genómico de la mucosa. El virus de Epstein-Barr es otro microorganismo vinculado con el cáncer gástrico. En esta revisión se describen los mecanismos inflamatorios importantes que intervienen en el desarrollo de la tumoración, tal vez compartidos con otros patógenos, lo cual es de gran relevancia ya que alrededor de 25% de los cánceres se relaciona con infección.