[Antimicrobial susceptibility of Helicobacter pylori strains isolated in Colombia].
BACKGROUND
Helicobacter pylori antimicrobial resistance rates differ among countries and even between different areas of a country. In Colombia, the most commonly used antimicrobials for the treatment of H pylori infection are amoxicillin, clarithromycin and metronidazole.


OBJECTIVE
To determine antimicrobial susceptibility of H pylori strains isolated in Colombia.


METHODS
Eighty eight strains of H pylori were isolated and identified by microbiological methods and confirmed with polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The detection of antimicrobial resistance to amoxicillin, clarithromycin, metronidazole and tetraclycline, was conducted by the Etest method. Mutations in the 23S rDNA, involved in resistance to clarithromycin, were detected using PCR and restriction fragment length polymorphism.


RESULTS
Eighty eight and 2.2% of the strains were resistant to metronidazole and clarithromycin, respectively. No isolate was simultaneously resistant to amoxicillin or tetracycline. The two clarithromycin resistant strains were homozygous for the A2143G mutation. No mutations were found in the remaining 86 susceptible strains.


CONCLUSIONS
The high rate of metronidazole resistance in our population precludes the use of this drug for the empirical treatment of H pylori infection.
Alvarez
Adalucy
A
Laboratorio de Microbiología y Parasitología, Centro de Biología Molecular y Biotecnología, Departamento de Ciencias Básicas, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Tecnológica de Pereira, Pereira, Colombia. adalucy@yahoo.es
Moncayo
José Ignacio
JI
Santacruz
Jorge Javier
JJ
Corredor
Luisa Fernanda
LF
Reinosa
Elizabeth
E
Martínez
José William
JW
Beltrán
Leonardo
L
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000145:classification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003105:Colombia / Q000453:epidemiology; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008795:Metronidazole / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests / Q000379:methods; D009154:Mutation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal; D008795:Metronidazole