To prove such a mechanism, it is necessary to demonstrate the presence of CagA in the colonized bronchial epithelial cells. Besides lung cancer, H. pylori infection was considered to play a role in other pulmonary diseases. In a longitudinal community-based study, Fullerton et al. [46] found no association between H. pylori seropositivity and chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, asthma, atopy, and allergic diseases. In addition, they found that the H. pylori serological status had no effect on the decline in lung function over 9 years. Regarding E.N.T. diseases, multiple studies evaluated the presence of H. pylori in nasal

STI571 chemical structure polyposis and adenotonsillar tissue as well as the involvement of the bacterium in oropharyngeal and laryngeal disorders last year [47–49]. Ozyurt et al. [47] did not find any difference in the prevalence of H. pylori and cagA, evaluated by PCR and RT-PCR, in nasal polyps and larynx tissues in

individuals with normal nasal mucosa. Fulvestrant manufacturer The study by Ozcan et al. [48] on a potential relationship between chronic otitis media with effusion and H. pylori infection was not conclusive either. On the contrary, Kaptan et al. [49] showed that chronic nonspecific pharyngitis was significantly related to H. pylori infection and suggested the use of antibiotics also active against H. pylori in the treatment of chronic pharyngitis. Anemia is an important public health problem in developing countries and very often it is a possible consequence of a common nutritional defect, iron deficiency. The possible role of H. pylori infection in the development of hyposideremic anemia was recently investigated in five Latin America countries, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Cuba, Mexico, and Venezuela [50], but no evidence was found to confirm the responsibility of such an infection. Brazilian

individuals were investigated in greater depth [51] and, although no significant association was observed between anemia and H. pylori infection, Vitamin B12 a crude multilevel linear regression showed a reduction of 0.07 g/dL in those who were colonized, after adjusting for sex, skin color, income, age, and smoking. A major problem in those countries, however, is that only approximately 50% of anemia cases can be attributed to iron deficiency; other causes, which include malaria, hookworm infestation, schistosomiasis, inherited conditions such as thalassemia and dietary vitamin deficiency do not always emerge in the clinical history of individuals. Numerous case reports published in minor journals revealed that the eradication of H. pylori infection resolved iron-deficiency anemia [52–58].