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World J Gastroenterol. Jan 21, 2006; 12(3): 468-472
Published online Jan 21, 2006. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v12.i3.468
Helicobacter pylori infection in the pharynx of patients with chronic pharyngitis detected with TDI-FP and modified Giemsa stain
Jiang-Ping Zhang, Zhen-Hui Peng, Ju Zhang, Xiang-Hong Zhang, Qing Yin Zheng
Jiang-Ping Zhang, Zhen-Hui Peng, Xiang-Hong Zhang. Qing Yin Zheng, Department of Otolaryngology, Second Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710004, Shaanxi Province, China
Ju Zhang, Institute of Genic Diagnosis, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an 710032, Shaanxi Province, China
Qing Yin Zheng, The Jackson Laboratory, 600 Main Street, Bar Harbor, ME 04609, United States
Co-correspondence: Jiang-Ping Zhang
Supported by a grant from the Bureau of Health in Shaanxi Province, No. 2002 02D24 and grants No. NSFC30440080; No. NIDCD R21 DC005846
Correspondence to: Dr. Qing Yin Zheng, The Jackson Laboratory, 600 Main Street, Bar Harbor, ME 04609, United States. qyz@jax.org
Telephone: +1-207-288-6609 Fax: +1-207-288-6149
Received: March 10, 2005
Revised: June 28, 2005
Accepted: October 12, 2005
Published online: January 21, 2006
Abstract

AIM: To detect whether there is Helicobacter pylori (H pylori) colonization in the pharynx mucous membrane of healthy people and whether chronic pharyngitis is related to H pylori infection.

METHODS: Fifty cases of chronic pharyngitis refractory over three months were prospectively studied from March 2004 to August 2004 in the otolaryngology outpatient department of the Second Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University. Template-directed dye-terminator incorporated with fluorescence polarization detection (TDI-FP) and modified Giemsa stain were used to examine pharynx mucous membrane tissue for H pylori colonization in the patients with chronic pharyngitis and the healthy people as a control group.

RESULTS: In the control group, no people were detected to have H pylori in the pharynx. In contrast, in 50 cases with chronic pharyngitis, 19 (38.0%) cases were H pylori positive with a TDI-FP assay and 4 (8%) cases were TDI-FP positive with Giemsa staining in the pharynx. Sixteen of the 50 pharyngitis cases had stomach ailment history, 11 cases (68.8%) of these 16 patients were determined to be H pylori positive in the pharynx with the TDI-FP assay. χ2 test showed that this infection rate was remarkably higher (P = 0.0007) than that in the cases without stomach ailment history. Giemsa staining showed that 3 cases (18.8%) of the patients with stomach ailment history were infected with H pylori in the pharynx, which was remarkably higher (P  = 0.042) than that in the patients without stomach ailment history (1 case, which was 2.9%).

CONCLUSION: H pylori may not be detected in the pharynx of healthy people. Chronic pharyngitis may be related to H pylori infection. The infection rate with H pylori in the pharynx is higher in patients with stomach ailment histories than in patients without stomach ailment histories, suggesting that chronic pharyngitis may be related to stomach ailment history.

Keywords: Chronic pharyngitis, H pylori, Modified Giemsa stain