Association of Helicobacter species with hepatitis C cirrhosis with or without hepatocellular carcinoma.

ABSTRACT:

Background and aims

Recent studies have suggested that bacterial coinfection with Helicobacter species in patients already infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) could be involved in the development of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). A retrospective cross sectional study was performed in order to explore the association between Helicobacter species and HCV associated liver diseases.

Methods

The presence of Helicobacter species was tested by polymerase chain reaction on liver samples from four groups of patients.

Results

Helicobacter 16S rDNA was found in only 4.2% of liver samples from control patients (n=24) and in 3.5% of liver samples from patients with non-cirrhotic chronic hepatitis C (n=29) while it was found in 68.0% of liver samples from patients

SUBMITTER: Rocha M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1774397 | biostudies-literature | 2005 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature