Increased seropositivity of Helicobacter pylori cytotoxin-associated gene-A in Behçet’s disease

Abstract

Behçet's disease is a systemic vasculitic syndrome with unknown etiology. The aim of the present study was to compare the Helicobacter pylori seropositivity and cytotoxin associated gene-A status in patients with Behçet's disease. Ninety-one patients with Behçet's disease and 83 age- and sex-matched persons with or without any gastrointestinal complaints were included in the study. Demographic characteristics and H. pylori IgG, IgM, and cytotoxin-associated gene-A IgG status of the Behçet's disease and the control groups were analyzed. The influence of eradication therapy on clinical findings was also determined. The prevalence of H. pylori IgG seropositivity was slightly but not significantly higher in patients with Behçet's disease compared to the controls [72 (79.1%) vs 56 (67.5%), (p = 0.082)]. The prevalence of cytotoxin-associated gene A positivity was significantly higher in Behçet's disease compared to the controls [59 (64.8.%) vs 32 (38.5%), respectively, (p = 0.002)]. Eradication of H. pylori has significantly decreased clinical manifestations such as oral and genital ulceration, arthritis/arthralgia, and cutaneous findings of Bahçet's disease. Our study indicates that H. pylori may be involved in the pathogenesis of Behçet's disease or disease activity might be enhanced due to induced inflammation or altered immunity.

High prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection in Behcet’s disease

“…It seems BD has a correlation with ongoing infection, as even in previous studies who failed to show a correlation between infection and BD, there were symptomatic improvement with H. pylori eradication in those who were infected [17,21]. Although two previous studies using endoscopic biopsies were not able to show such a relation [18,19], but we should note that there are several intervening factors which may result in false negativity of endoscopic biopsies for H. pylori infection detection.…”

“…Ersoy and Cakmak and their colleagues in two other different studies from Turkey could not find any relation between BD and H. pylori in endoscopic biopsies [18,19]. Another group from Turkey reported significantly higher prevalence of cytotoxin-associated gene A positivity in BD [21]. In the latter study prevalence of anti H. pylori immunoglobulin G antibody was not significantly higher in BD which is in concordance to previous studies but patients’ symptoms improved after H. pylori eradication like Avci’s report.…”

Recurrent aphthous stomatitis may be a precursor or risk factor for specific cancers: A case‐control frequency‐matched study

“…The underlying cause of RAS is unknown. Similar to autoimmune diseases, RAS may represent aberrant immune system activity resulting from exposure to a possibly infectious agent46, 47, 48, 49, 50 in patients genetically predisposed to develop RAS 46, 51, 52, 53, 54. Proposed triggering agents include viral and bacterial antigens and other environmental sources 46, 47, 48, 49, 50.…”

Behcet’s disease: from heat shock proteins to infections

“…Eradication of H. pylori significantly decreased clinical manifestations such as oral and genital ulceration, arthritis/arthralgia, and cutaneous findings of BD, indicating that H. pylori may be involved in the pathogenesis of BD or disease activity might be enhanced as a result of induced inflammation or altered immunity [51]. In another study, a patient with the BD, resistant to treatment, demonstrated a proportional remission after H. pylori eradication treatment suggesting that anti-H. pylori antibiotherapy can reduce the development of new oral aphthous ulcers and, for a limited time, the frequency of recurrent attacks in patients with BD [52].…”