Distribution of vacA and cagA genotypes of Helicobacter pylori in Kuwait.

There is considerable geographical variation in the distribution of allelic types of Helicobacter pylori. This first study from Kuwait determined the prevalence of cagA and vacA genotypes among 117 unselected patients attending a gastroenterology center. We found that whereas vacA s1 and s2 types were equally likely to be present in biopsies obtained from patients of Middle-Eastern origin, African Arabs were predominantly infected with s2 type and South-Asians the s1 type. South Asians most frequently carried the cagA positive genotype with Bangladeshis showing the highest prevalence rate of 87%.