To the Editor.—We read Dr Cheng's article with interest regarding the prevalence rate of Campylobacter pylori. Fourteen (70%) of 20 patients with chronic gastritis and 8 (67%) of 12 patients with duodenitis had C pylori infection.1
We performed a similar prevalence study at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia. On approval of the Human Research Committee, 50 consecutive patients who were to undergo elective esophagogastroduodenoscopy were enrolled in the study. Three antral biopsy specimens were obtained for histologic and microbiologic analysis. Chronic nonspecific gastritis was determined by an increase in chronic inflammatory cells, with typical degenerative/regenerative epithelial changes. Gastritis was termed inactive if neutrophils were absent. Acute gastritis was graded as mild, moderate, or severe by the number of neutrophils. Campylobacter-like organisms were detected using acridineorange and hematoxylin-eosin stains.
One biopsy specimen was plated on Brucella agar with 5% sheep blood, hemin, and vitamin K (Remel Laboratories, Lenexa,