Evaluation of Helicobacter pylori vacA genotype in Japanese patients with gastric cancer.

Abstract

The recently proposed vacA genotyping system is applicable to Japanese H pylori strains and most strains have the s1a genotype, associated with increased virulence. While the high frequency of s1a/m1 vacA genotype might play a role in the increased incidence of atrophic gastritis and gastric cancer in Japanese subjects, it precludes its use as a predictor of clinical outcome of H pylori infection in Japan.