Comparative analysis of the Helicobacter pylori status in patients with gastric Malt-type lymphoma and their respective spouses

Helicobacter pylori is of major importance for the development and progress ion of gastric MALT-type lymphoma. In case of localized low grade lymphoma successfully treated by Helicobacter pylori eradication reinfection by the bacterium may involve the risk of lymphoma reoccurence. Aims: To assess the frequency and type of Helicobacter pylori infection amo ng patients with gastric MALT-type lymphoma and their respective spouses as potential sources of person to person spread of the infection. Subjects: 35 patients with gastric MALT-type lymphoma and their cohabiting spouses. Methods: We investigated serum IgG titers in response to the infection by H elicobacter pylori and to its Virulence factors CagA and VacA by enzyme lin ked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and by Western blot. Results: Seropositivity of Helicobacter pylori, CagA and Vac A was found to be 100/89/69% and 97/86/66% in patients and respective partners, respectiv ely. The seroprevalence Fates of the latter group by far exceed those of th e German population. Conclusion: These data provide evidence for a high Helicobacter pylori infe ction rate in both patients with gastric MALT-type lymphoma and their respe ctive spouses. Considering the latter as a potential source of reinfection with the risk of lymphoma reoccurence for the successfully treated patient with gastric MALT-type lymphoma careful follow-up seems highly reasonable t o decide on the necessity of a future test-and-treat strategy of th is popu lation.