title: Diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori infection and determination of clarithromycin resistance by fluorescence in situ hybridization from formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded gastric biopsy specimens.
abstract: A reliable diagnostic test for Helicobacter pylori is important in clinical practice and research. The ideal diagnostic test for H. pylori should be sensitive, specific, and cost-effective. Helicobacter pylori resistance to clarithromycin is a common reason for failure of eradication therapy. The aim of this study was to evaluate the fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) method to detect H. pylori and determine clarithromycin resistance in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded gastric biopsy specimens. One hundred seventeen gastric biopsy specimens from patients with dyspepsia were examined for the presence of H. pylori by conventional culture, FISH, and histopathological methods. A set of fluorescent-labeled oligonucleotide probes binding to either H. pylori 16S rRNA or 23S rRNA sequences were used for FISH analysis. Phenotypic antibiotic susceptibilities of the isolates were tested using the Epsilometer test method (E test). Helicobacter pylori was detected in 70 of 117 biopsy specimens by histopathological examination and FISH, whereas it was detected in 47 specimens by culturing. Histopathology and FISH techniques failed to identify H. pylori in 1 biopsy sample isolated by culture. Clarithromycin resistance was found in 11 of 46 H. pylori isolates using the E test method. All of the phenotypic resistance measurements of isolates were correlated with genotypic clarithromycin resistance. Eleven clarithromycin-resistant strains were identified by FISH. The diagnosis of H. pylori infection and the determination of clarithromycin resistance in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded specimens using FISH is promising because it provides a rapid, reliable, and culture-independent diagnosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbioogy, Baskent University School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey. drfusuncan@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Fusun
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Can
authors.forename: Zerrin
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Yilmaz
authors.forename: Muge
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Demirbilek
authors.forename: Banu
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bilezikci
authors.forename: Ganiye
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kunefeci
authors.forename: Fatma Belgin
authors.initials: FB
authors.lastname: Atac
authors.forename: Haldun
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Selcuk
authors.forename: Hande
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Arslan
authors.forename: Sedat
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Boyacioglu
authors.forename: Feride Iffet
authors.initials: FI
authors.lastname: Sahin
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001706:Biopsy; D017291:Clarithromycin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D005557:Formaldehyde; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence / Q000379:methods*; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D016612:Paraffin Embedding; D013270:Stomach / Q000382:microbiology; D016707:Tissue Fixation
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D005557:Formaldehyde; D017291:Clarithromycin