Relationship of <i>vacA</i> Genotypes of <i>Helicobacter pylori</i> to <i>cagA</i> Status, Cytotoxin Production, and Clinical Outcome

Abstract

In this as in other reported studies ( approximately 1500 patients overall) vacA genotype was strongly but not exclusively associated with the presence of cagA. Overall, the studies did not support a role for vacA genotyping in relation to cytotoxin activity, virulence, histologic finding, or risk of a particular H. pylori disease. vacA genotype s1 is likely to be a surrogate marker for the presence of the cag pathogenicity island.