Comparison of cytotoxin genotypes of Helicobacter pylori in stomach and saliva.

We have previously reported a high prevalence of H. pylori DNA in saliva. In this study, the cytotoxin genotypes of H. pylori strains from both stomach and saliva were compared in 31 patients with gastritis and peptic ulcer. The cagA, vacA m1, vacA m2, and vacA s1 genotypes were analyzed by PCR. The 417 bp PCR products from three patients were also subjected to DNA sequencing analysis. There was 95% agreement between stomach H. pylori isolates and their corresponding saliva DNA in at least one cytotoxin genotype; 86% agreement with two cytotoxin genotypes; 59% agreement with three cytotoxin genotypes; and 27% agreement with all four cytotoxin genotypes studied. DNA sequencing from three patients showed 78.0%, 64.0%, and 66.9% homology of H. pylori from both sources, respectively. The data suggest that more than one H. pylori strain may exist in the stomach and saliva in the same patient.