Background. The pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines play an important role in the immune response againstH. pyloriinfection. The proinflammatory cytokines of Th17 cells have been suggested to play a major role inH. pyloriinfection and resulting gastric inflammation.Objective. The objective of this study was to compare the expression of selected inflammatory cytokines (IL-10, IL-17, IL-21, IL-23, and TNF-α) inH. pylori-infected patients and healthy controls and to understand their association withH. pyloriinfection and disease severity.Results. The expression levels of IL-17 and IL-23 were significantly higher inH. pylori-infected patients. The expression of IL-21 was also higher inH. pylori-positive patients but there was no significant association with infection. IL-17 expression showed a significant increase with the severity of chronic gastritis.Conclusion. The proinflammatory cytokine, IL-17, shows a significant association withH. pyloriinfection and disease severity in a Sri Lankan dyspeptic patient population.

The study aimed to compare the usefulness of two staining methods for imprint cytology for diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori infection. Gastric biopsy specimens (from dyspeptic patients attending routine upper gastrointestinal endoscopy) were placed on glass slides to obtain imprints. The imprints were stained with Toluidine blue and Giemsa stains separately and observed under ×400 magnification using a light microscope. Imprinted biopsies were sectioned and stained with H & E stain and Giemsa stain for histological analysis. Diagnosis of H. pylori infection in both imprint and histological sections were confirmed by a consultant pathologist. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of each stain were calculated and benchmarked against histological diagnosis. Of the 55 dyspeptic patients enrolled in the study, 5 were positive for H. pylori by Toluidine blue stain and 4 by Giemsa stain. The sensitivity of Toluidine blue stain (57.1%) was higher than Giemsa stain (42.9%) while the specificity of both stains was equal (97.9%). Giemsa stain gave a better discrimination for identification of H. pylori bacteria among the mucosal background. Imprint cytology is a rapid, simple and cost effective diagnosis method that can supplement histological diagnosis.