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Background—Helicobacter pylori species comprise different strains, cytotoxic and non-cytotoxic, which can be identified on the basis of their genomic pattern.

Aims—(1) To evaluate the polymorphism of the vacA gene and to ascertain whether thecagA gene is present in patients with gastric adenocarcinoma. (2) To study the anti-H pylori antibody profile using western blotting.

Patients—Twenty one patients with gastric adenocarcinoma and 71 with H pyloriassociated benign disease (nine gastric ulcer, 29 duodenal ulcer, 25 antral gastritis, and eight duodenitis).

Methods—The polymerase chain reaction was used to verify the presence or absence ofcagA and to study the polymorphism of vacA in gastric mucosal samples obtained during endoscopy for patients with benign diseases and at surgery for patients with gastric adenocarcinoma. Fasting sera were used to assess anti-H pylori antibodies against different H …