You are here

Article Text

Article menu
Download PDFPDF
Article
An association between sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) andHelicobacter pylori infection
  1. J R Kerra,
  2. A Al-Khattafa,
  3. A J Barsonb,
  4. J P Burniea
  1. aInfectious Diseases Research Group, The University of Manchester, Clinical Sciences Building, Manchester Royal Infirmary, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9WL, UK, bDepartment of Paediatric Pathology, The University of Manchester
  1. Dr Kerrjonathankerr{at}hotmail.com

Abstract

BACKGROUND Helicobacter pylori has recently been detected in the stomach and trachea of cases of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and proposed as a cause of SIDS.

AIMS To establish the incidence ofH pylori in the stomach, trachea, and lung of cases of SIDS and controls.

METHODS Stomach, trachea, and lung tissues from 32 cases of SIDS and eight control cases were examined retrospectively. Diagnosis of SIDS was based on established criteria. Controls were defined by death within 1 year of age and an identifiable cause of death. Tissues were examined histologically for the presence of bacteria. Extracted DNA from these tissues was tested forH pylori ureC andcagA sequences by nested polymerase chain reaction and amplicons detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The cut off for each ELISA for each of the tissue types was taken as the mean optical density plus two times the standard deviation of a range of negative controls.

RESULTS Ages of SIDS cases ranged from 2 to 28 weeks. Ages of controls ranged from 3 to 44 weeks. For theureC gene, 25 SIDS cases were positive in one or more tissues compared with one of the controls. For thecagA gene, 25 SIDS cases were positive in one or more tissues compared with one of the controls.

CONCLUSIONS There is a highly significant association between H pylori ureC and cagAgenes in the stomach, trachea, and lung of cases of SIDS when compared with controls.

  • Helicobacter pylori
  • sudden infant death syndrome

https://doi.org/10.1136/adc.83.5.429

Statistics from Altmetric.com

    Request Permissions

    If you wish to reuse any or all of this article please use the link below which will take you to the Copyright Clearance Center’s RightsLink service. You will be able to get a quick price and instant permission to reuse the content in many different ways.

    View Full Text

    Linked Articles

    • Archives this month
      HARVEY MARCOVITCH
      Archives of Disease in Childhood 2000; 83 0-0 Published Online First: 01 Nov 2000. doi: 10.1136/adc.83.5.0
    • Original article
      Use of acetazolamide to decrease cerebrospinal fluid production in chronically ventilated patients with ventriculopleural shunts
      E Carrion J H Hertzog M D Medlock G J Hauser H J Dalton
      Archives of Disease in Childhood 2001; 84 68-71 Published Online First: 01 Jan 2001. doi: 10.1136/adc.84.1.68
    • Rapid responses
      Rapid responses
      BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health
      Archives of Disease in Childhood 2001; 84 168-168 Published Online First: 01 Feb 2001. doi: 10.1136/adc.84.2.168
    • Rapid responses
      Rapid responses
      BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health
      Archives of Disease in Childhood 2001; 84 310-310 Published Online First: 01 Apr 2001. doi: 10.1136/adc.84.4.310