Gastric HSV1 infection is associated with functional gastrointestinal disorders? 2022 USA study

[pattismith]

Gastric herpes simplex virus type 1 infection is associated with functional gastrointestinal disorders in the presence and absence of comorbid fibromyalgia: a pilot case–control study​

Because many patients with FGIDs experience overlapping upper and lower GI symptoms, we hypothesized gastric infection and spread of neurotropic herpesviruses within relevant neural pathways might contribute to the symptoms of IBS and other FGIDs. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of gastric herpesvirus infection in patients with FGIDs with and without comorbid FM.
We hypothesized actively replicating herpesviruses would be more prevalent in gastric mucosal tissue from patients with these functional disorders than in that of controls.

RESULT:

Gastric herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) infection, as indicated by ICP8 presence, was significantly associated with FGIDs in the presence (OR 70.00, 95% CI 7.42–660.50; P < .001) and absence (OR 38.50, 95% CI 3.75–395.40; P < .001) of comorbid FM.
Neither histological gastritis nor H. pylori infection were found to be associated with FGIDs or FM.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9522778/

 

[pattismith]

Another scientist answered to this publication in May 2022, Dr Lohr from Sweden.

(Dr Lohr already published a study on HSV1 in the stomach in 1990)

.....I would like to mention some aspects that may enhance the importance of the findings made by Duffy and colleagues....

Firstly, it is important to underscore that the majority of patients demonstrating HSV-1 in their gastric mucosa are H. pylori negative—a finding also supported by our study.
Secondly, and most importantly, the functional gastrointestinal disorders, commonly also referred to as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), represent a dysfunction in the myoenteric complex [3] and IBS has been shown to increase after viral outbreaks with Herpes viridae, including HSV-1 [4].

In this context, it is important to point out that the cells infected by HSV-1 in the gastric mucosa, as shown by Duffy and colleagues [1], could be identified as enterochromaffine, CCK-positive cells [2], bridging the link to the affection of the myoenteric complex in IBD/FGID.

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s15010-022-01848-1

1990 publication:

Is herpes simplex virus associated with peptic ulcer disease?​

Abstract​

.......

HSV-1 was found restricted in clusters of cells near the margin of the ulcer but was absent at sites distal to the lesion. Several of such HSV-1-infected cells also contained cholecystokinin. These cholecystokinin-containing cells are of neuroendocrine origin and receive contact from the vagal nerve.

......

Thus, our data suggest that a subset of peptic ulcer disease may be associated with HSV-1 and raise the possibility that some peptic ulcers may be caused by this virus.

https://journals.asm.org/doi/abs/10.1128/jvi.64.5.2168-2174.1990