S100A8 and gastrointestinal disease: <h4>Background</h4>Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) virulence factors, particularly the cagA and vacA genotypes, play important roles in the pathogenic process of gastrointestinal disease.<h4>Methods</h4>The cagA and vacA genotypes of 87 H. pylori strains were determined by PCR and sequencing.