Five methods for detection of Helicobacter pylori in the Turkish population.
OBJECTIVE
To compare culture analysis, Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) stool antigen (HpSA) test, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) for H. pylori detection.


METHODS
One hundred and thirty-two consecutive adult dyspeptic patients receiving diagnostic endoscopy at the department of gastroenterology were enrolled in this study. Culture and histological examination were performed on biopsy specimens. PCR and FISH tests were applied to histopathological samples. Stool samples that were simultaneously collected were tested for the H. pylori antigen using the HpSA test and bacterial DNA using stool PCR.


RESULTS
H. pylori was positively identified by histological examination in 85/132 (64.4%) of the patients, while positive samples were found in 56 (42.4%), 64 (48.5%), 98 (74.2%), 28 (21.2%) and 81 (61.4%) of the patients by culture, HpSA, PCR, stool PCR and FISH methods, respectively. The results of the culture, biopsy PCR, HpSA and FISH tests, with the exception of the stool PCR, were found to correlate with the histological examination as a gold standard.


CONCLUSIONS
The HpSA test is a rapid, simple, and noninvasive test for monitoring therapy. FISH is an accurate, rapid, cost-effective, and easy-to-use test for H. pylori detection.
Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Afyon Kocatepe University, Ali Çetinkaya Campus, 03200 Afyonkarahisar, Turkey. aktepef@hotmail.com
Orhan Cem
OC
Aktepe
Ihsan Hakkı
IH
Ciftçi
Birol
B
Safak
Ihsan
I
Uslan
Fatma Hüsniye
FH
Dilek
D000328:Adult; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis*; D003955:Diagnostic Tests, Routine / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence / Q000379:methods; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D014421:Turkey
D000942:Antigens, Bacterial