The aim of this study is to find out the prevalence of Helicobacter py
lori infection in patients with nonulcer dyspepsia (NUD) and asymptoma
tic controls and to see if there is an etiological association between
gastritis, NUD and Helicobacter pylori. One hundred thirty six patien
ts with NUD and 71 controls had six endoscopic biopsies from different
sites of the gastric mucosa for histological diagnosis. Helicobacter
pylori was looked for in all biopsy specimens utilizing half Gram, Gie
msa and Gimenez staining techniques. Type B chronic gastritis was dete
cted in 96% of the NUD cases and in 100% of the asymptomatic controls
(P > 0.05). Helicobacter pylori was found in 82 (65%) patients with NU
D and in 38 (56%) asymptomatic controls (P > 0.05). Type B chronic gas
tritis is almost universal in both NUD cases and asymptomatic controls
. There is no difference in the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infe
ction between the two groups. The absence of Helicobacter pylori in a
significant number of patients (36%) and controls (45%) with gastritis
contradicts the etiological association between Helicobacter pylori a
nd gastritis reported by others, suggesting that in Ethiopia there may
be a chronic environmental gastritis which may not be helicobacter-re
lated. There is no correlation between NUD and Type B gastritis, and b
etween symptoms and Helicobacter pylori infection in this population.