Characterization of the H. pylori strains included in the study and of the patients from whom each of them was isolated.

All strains are indicated by their collection number. All patients were from Portugal. In columns cagA, homB and jhp562: + indicates strain containing the gene; − indicates strain lacking the gene. vacA column: s1 indicates strains containing the toxic allele of the gene; and s2, strain containing the non-toxic allele of the gene. oipA column: on indicates strains containing the functional allele of the gene; and off, strains containing the non-functional allele of the gene. NUD - non-ulcer dyspepsia; DU – duodenal ulcer; GU – gastric ulcer. M - Masculine; F - Feminine.