Helicobacter pylori in the palatine tonsils of patients with IgA nephropathy compared with those of patients with recurrent pharyngotonsillitis

• Published in: Human pathology Vol. 38; no. 12; pp. 1788 - 1797
• Main Authors: Kusano, Kenichiro, MD, Tokunaga, Osamu, MD, Ando, Takashi, MD, Inokuchi, Akira, MD
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Inc 01.12.2007; Elsevier; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: Actinomycosis - complications; Actinomycosis - epidemiology; Adolescent; Adult; Age Distribution; Antibiotics; Bacterial diseases; Bacterial diseases of the digestive system and abdomen; Bacteriology; Biological and medical sciences; Child; Coccoid form; Disease; Female; Glomerulonephritis, IGA - complications; Glomerulonephritis, IGA - microbiology; Helicobacter Infections - complications; Helicobacter Infections - epidemiology; Helicobacter pylori; Helicobacter pylori - isolation & purification; Human bacterial diseases; Humans; IgA nephropathy; Immunohistochemistry; In Situ Hybridization; Infectious diseases; Investigative techniques, diagnostic techniques (general aspects); Male; Medical sciences; Microscopy, Immunoelectron; Middle Aged; Palatine Tonsil - microbiology; Pathology; Pathology. Cytology. Biochemistry. Spectrometry. Miscellaneous investigative techniques; Pharyngitis - complications; Pharyngitis - microbiology; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Prevalence; Rodents; Studies; Throat surgery; Tonsil; Tonsillitis - complications; Tonsillitis - microbiology; Immunohistochemistry; IgA nephropathy; Coccoid form; Helicobacter pylori; Tonsil; Kidney disease; Human; Immunopathology; Relapse; Urinary system disease; Spirillales; Amygdala; Spirillaceae; Recurrent; Infection; Anatomic pathology; Bacteriosis; Bacteria; IgA glomerular nephropathy; Comparative study
• ISSN: 0046-8177; 1532-8392
• DOI: 10.1016/j.humpath.2007.04.012

Summary Helicobacter pylori infection is acquired by oral ingestion. However, the morphology and microscopic localization of H pylori in the human oral cavity and pharynx are unknown. In the present study, we performed immunohistochemistry, immunoelectron microscopy, in situ hybridization, and polymerase chain reaction to identify H pylori in the palatine tonsils of 32 patients with immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN) and 141 patients with recurrent pharyngotonsillitis (RPT). H pylori in coccoid form was present in bacterial colonies and horny layers of the stratified squamous epithelium in tonsillar crypts. We described for the first time the morphology of H pylori in palatine tonsils. Most bacterial colonies were sulfur granules with Actinomyces israelii ( A israelii ), and A israelii showed significant coexistence with H pylori ( P = .011). The prevalence of H pylori in palatine tonsils of the RPT group increased steeply with age, but one fourth of the patients were found not to have tonsillar H pylori in adulthood. All patients with IgAN had H pylori in palatine tonsils. The prevalence of H pylori was greater in the IgAN group than in the RPT group, and the difference was statistically significant ( P < .001). In contrast, A israelii was unrelated to age and clinical diagnosis ( P = .722). In conclusion, our results demonstrate that H pylori in coccoid form is present in palatine tonsils and may indicate that H pylori in palatine tonsils is among the antigens causative of IgAN.