Detection of gastritis-associated pathogens by culturing of gastric juice and mucosa.

It is well known that Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is not the only indigenous bacterium in the stomach, as numerous studies have revealed that the gastric microbiota contributes to the pathogenesis of gastric disease. However, the correlation between the gastric bacterial flora and gastritis is unclear. By comparing differences in viable gastric bacteria between a gastritis group and a healthy group, we examined the potential species related to chronic gastritis. We collected juice and mucosa samples from 103 consecutive patients and identified 81 species by culturing and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). The positive rates of Streptococcus and Neisseria were markedly higher in the gastritis group than those in the normal group, suggesting that certain bacterial species may play vital roles in the development of gastritis rather than acting as transient microbes. This finding can be applied to the diagnosis and treatment of chronic gastritis as evidence supporting non-Helicobacter pylori infection-related gastritis.