Investigating Culturable Bacterial Profile in Gastritis and Gastric Atrophy: Implications for Microbiome Research

Background and Aim: Research indicates the presence of various bacterial species in addition to Helicobacter pylori in stomach that may influence gastric health and disease.This study aimed to investigate the distribution and diversity of aerobic and anaerobic bacteria in gastric biopsies from patients with gastritis and gastric atrophy in a hybrid approach combining culture and molecular methods.Materials and Methods: Gastric biopsies (N=10) from patients referred for endoscopy, five with gastritis and five with gastric atrophy, were analyzed.Culture-based and molecular methods were utilized to identify bacterial profile.The samples were enriched and cultured under varying temperature and oxygen conditions.The isolated bacteria were purified, DNA was extracted, and PCR targeting the prokaryotic 16S rRNA gene was performed.The resulting amplified fragments were sequenced and compared with GenBank database for microbial identification.Results: A total of 28 bacterial colonies were isolated.The most prevalent isolated bacteria were Bacillus, Streptococcus, Staphylococcus, and Lactobacillus detected in both gastritis and gastric atrophy biopsies.Notably, certain isolates were found to be specific to gastritis biopsies, while others were exclusively isolated from gastric atrophy biopsies.Furthermore, 70% of lactic acid isolates were associated with patients suffering from gastric atrophy. Conclusion:The results offer important insights into the complex microbial community of the stomach and its potential contribution to the broader understanding of gastric microbiome research.It also highlights the necessity for further research to more precisely identify gastric bacteria, especially during different stages of the disease, thereby enhancing diagnostic and therapeutic approaches.