An unusual helical micro-organism found in the gut lumen of human subjects

An earlier report described the discovery of a micro-organism in the form o f a double helix in human small bowel biopsies. Mucosal biopsies of the sto mach and small bowel obtained from patients with rheumatic diseases and dys pepsia by enteroscopy and gastroscopy were fixed for scanning electron micr oscopy to investigate the organism further. In 62% of biopsies, an organism in the form of a double helix with bifid ends, 5-30 mu m long, was found l ying free on the surface of the mucosa, The organism has been demonstrated in the stomach, duodenum and small bowel. Flagella were never seen to be as sociated with the organism. In spite of its helical form, the organism lack s many of the factors associated with spirochaete morphology, It is suggest ed that this, as yet unnamed organism, may be found throughout the length o f the digestive tract, Its pathological significance is not known.