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We compared the degree of mucosal colonisation by aerobic and anaerobic bacteria with special attention to Helicobacter pylori in the antrum of the stomach of 19 non-ulceral dyspepsia (NUD), 18 duodenal ulcer (DU) and seven gastric ulcer (GU) patients. In the three cases of normal mucosa bacteria were present in quantities below 103 c.f.u./g and no H.pylori were detected. H.pylori was isolated from the antral mucosa of all patients with DU and GU and of 12 (63 per cent) NUD patients. A high colonisation rate (> 105 c.f.u./g) was found in 25 cases (56 per cent). In NUD patients with superficial gastritis the high degree of colonisation was due to H.pylori, but in the cases of GU and DU with the same state of the mucosa high numbers of H, pylori occurred in association with other microbes (P < 0.02). In the eight cases of slight atrophic gastritis (NUD, GU and DU) the population level of H, pylori was low accompanied by high numbers of other microorganisms. The aetiological role of H.pylori in the development of gastritis is discussed.