Profiling of bacterial flora in gastric biopsies from patients with Helicobacter pylori-associated gastritis and histologically normal control individuals by temperature gradient gel electrophoresis and 16S rDNA sequence analysis

The aim of this study was to establish bacterial profiles in gastric biopsy specimens from patients with Helicobacter pylori-associated gastritis by m eans of temporal temperature gradient gel electrophoresis (TTGE) of PCR-amp lified 16S rDNA fragments. Specimens from eight patients with asymptomatic gastritis and five histologically normal controls revealed a Helicobacter-s pecific band in the TTGE profile with increased amounts of Helicobacter-spe cific DNA in the biopsies from most of the gastritis patients. DNA from oth er genera Including Enterococcus, Pseudomonas, Streptococcus, Staphylococcu s and Stomatococcus was also found in the stomach. In the absence of gastri c inflammation, Helicobacter spp, appeared to be part of a complex, presuma bly indigenous microbial flora found in the biopsy specimens from the stoma ch.